A Lot of Love
by Epitsu Onna
Summary: Being a man with busy works in such young age, has a nephew to take care of, neither of them bring Shishido Ryou any nice romance experiences. His meeting with Ohtori Choutarou, the young and nice kindergarten teacher, will change that though.
1. Love

**Disclaimer : Prince of Tennis and all of its characters never belonged to me. I hope it will be, though XD Ryoutarou is the OC character so he's mine… though the idea of his name was coming from Riel-chan X3**

**This fic was for Mitsukai20… for making me ShishiTori fic even between his exams and all. Thank you, Mitsu-chan. YOU'RE SO CUTE! XDDD**

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1st Chapter

"Oh my God, Ryouta, you should slow down a bit," Shishido laughed as a little boy jumped out from the big, black car they were riding before and ran his little feet towards the gate.

Shishido Ryoutarou smiled widely, "I really can't wait for the school, Ryou-nii!!! I even brushed my teeth properly this morning!"

"Okay," Ryou laughed. He offered his hand to the little boy –who grasped it tightly, and the pair of nephew and uncle walked in to the wide front yard of a kindergarten. They entered the lobby and a smiling woman welcomed them. The woman told to them to go to the little hall on the centre of the building –the new students were all gathering there now. On they way there, they passed bunches of women with their little sons or daughter. Ryou watched his nephew, to see if the little boy actually upset with the scene or not, but the boy looked alright. He even hummed a little song happily. That made Ryou grew relieve in his heart. He looked at his watch –the school will start at 8… still fifteen minutes to go.

He had arranged his schedule so he can see Ryoutarou's first day receiving an education till the really end, before he must ran his car back to his office for a meeting with the Korean executives about the concept of the apartment his company going to build there at 12 noon. He'll bring Ryoutarou home first after they had a special and nice lunch in a really good family restaurant, not only with sandwich or French fries –and then he'll back to office. To the meeting. Necktie, goddamn it.

Ryouta watched his uncle staring blankly at actually nothing (He was reconstructing his plan today in his brain) and he said quietly, "Ryou-nii, it's okay, you can leave now if you want to. You have some work to do, right? Ryouta can take care of himself,"

Ryou stared at his nephew. He shook his head, stroked the deep brown hair of Ryoutarou and said with a soft smile, "I'll see your first day of school,"

Ryouta's round eyes brightened with a happy sparkles and he grinned widely. They entered the hall –not actually a big one, but certainly big enough to fit thirty little kids and their mothers there. There's a small stage on the front part of the hall and Ryouta's eyes shone when he saw a grand piano was standing on it. He said happily, "Look, Shishido-nii, there's a really big piano there. I wonder if I allowed to playing it a little,"

"I don't know…" Shishido looked at piano, "I don't think you can, though, Ryouta…"

Ryouta pouted. But then a soft voice reached them, "You can play it in the music section later," Ryou and his nephew looked up to saw the speaker. The speaker was a tall man with a wavy hair with the color of snow, smiling to both of them. He was wearing a white sweater behind his dark blue apron, and his long legs were covered by a pair of blue jeans. Ryouta blinked at the man and said, "R-really?"

"Yes, of course," The wavy-haired man bent so he was face to face with the little boy, "Do you like playing piano?"

"Mm," Ryouta nodded. His uncle got a piano in the room on the center of the house that they called Recreation Room, and that room was also where the Home Theatre and Ryou's billiard table can be found. When there's nothing to be watched or every time he was too tired already to playing any billiard, Ryou will fit his butt on the piano chair, playing a song that his mother often played when he was still so little. Ryouta will grew really happy every time he saw Ryou was sitting in front of the piano, then one day the little boy asked Ryou to teach him music and Ryou did so, even though he's not so good at it, at least he knew about music notes and the basics. So that's how Ryouta's fond of music grew, he played the piano almost every night even though he can play only one song.

Ryoutarou stared at the tall man in front of him before asked, "How can you know my name?" The tall man smiled, "Because from this today on, I'll be your teacher. I'm Ohtori-sensei," Ohtori-sensei offered the little boy his hand. Shishido watched the slender fingers, admired it. They're so long, looked so soft. Ryouta grabbed the hand, filled the longs fingers with his little ones, and he smiled, "I'm Shishido Ryoutarou, Ohtori-sensei!"

"Nice to meet you, Ryoutarou-kun," Ohtori replied. He then bowed politely to Shishido, while saying, "Good morning, Ryoutarou-kun's father,"

Ryou had just wanted to reply the greetings but Ryoutarou's sudden words cut him, "Shishido-nii isn't my father. He's my uncle...!"

Ohtori's eyes widened a bit before he smiled, "Oh, is that so? That's so nice, your uncle actually took a day off to accompanying you on your first day of school…"

"Yes he is!" Ryouta smiled. He hugged Shishido legs –the only part of Shishido's body that the little boy could reach by his short and tiny body. Shishido laughed, he bent to give the forehead of his nephew a little peck before tugged under Ryouta's arm to pick up the little boy. Ryouta then was sitting on his uncle's arm, circled his arm around the neck to keep him falling down.

Ryou smiled to the sensei –he got a nice first impression of this man and he decided to act nicely to the young teacher, "I'm Shishido Ryou,"

"Shishido-san, then?"

"That will be great,"

"Okay," Ohtori laughed.

Ryou grinned back and he asked, "You will be the homeroom teacher of Ryouta's class, Ohtori-sensei?"

Ohtori smiled, his long fingers reached to brush the locks of Ryouta's hair softly, "I hope so, so I can meet Ryouta-kun often. He's one smart boy," He smiled to the proud uncle.

"You also like to playing piano, sensei?" Ryouta asked excitedly. Ohtori smiled and nodded, "Yes, I like it very much,"

"What else does sensei like to do?" Ryouta asked again.

"Hmmm…" Ohtori hummed before answered, "I love to draw, I love to eat…"

"Ryouta also loves to eat!"

Ohtori chuckled, "That's good, then. A little boy like you should eat much so he can grow healthy and strong! Now, sensei has to go…" Ohtori chuckled when he saw a pout on Ryoutarou's lips. He said, "But we will meet again later! Promise!" Ohtori stuck out his pinkie, which Ryouta happily tied with his own. Ohtori waved his hand as he walking away to greet another parents and their children. Ryouta smiled to Ryou and he said, "The sensei looked so nice, ne, Shishido-nii?"

"Hm, he is," Ryou grinned to his nephew.

An old lady in simple sweatshirt and red trousers behind his apron that very much looked like Ohtori's came to the stage. She smiled and the hall grew quieter as the attention of the people in there moved to the lady. When she began to speak, her voice was loud but still polite.

"Good morning, all the parents and children!"

The children answered him happily with a loud good morning and the lady seemed satisfied. She laughed, "My my, the hall may collapsed from how loud you are all sound just now!" The laughter boomed and she smiled, "I'm one the teacher here and my name is Miyako-sensei. Can all these cute kids call my name once again?"

"MIYAKO-SENSEIII!!!" Ryouta also answered happily, while Ryou was looking around the hall and he found Ohtori-sensei was standing almost in the corner. Beside him were another teacher, and they're all women. He still had smile on his lips as he watching the old lady on the stage saying her best greetings for the parents and thank you for believing this Tanpopo Kindergarten as their kids' first step of education and knowledge. Ryou found himself also smiled, but that was before he felt his cellphone vibrating on his pocket. He gulped a curse he was going to say but at the same time actually relieved that he didn't forget to turn his phone mode into silent mode. He fished out the metal item from his pocket and furrowed his eyebrow when he saw that the words on the monitor can be read as 'Oshitari'.

"Ryouta, a minute, okay?" Ryou whispered to his nephew who looked at him confusedly. He put down Ryouta and walked quickly out from the hall. He answered the call the second his foot stepped out from the hall door, "What is it?"

The deep voice, jeweled with a thick accent of Kansai, sounded so unusually upset when he answered Shishido's question with another question, "Where are you?"

"I'm outside Tanpopo Kindergarten's hall, that's where my nephew is going to study start from today. What is it, Oshitari? You sound not too well…"

"Have I mention to you about how stupid the Korean in reading?"

"Mm, okay, if I have to read hanggul, I bet I also can't do it at all. Don't make it long, please? There's something going on inside and I really don't want to make Ryouta wait there, alone…"

"Make it short? Executives from Korea are all here and they demand us to start the presentation now. And if I remembered correctly, you're the one that own the presentation subject, I don't know your computer's password, and we're all dead now,"

Ryou gaped, "ARE THEY BLIND OR SOMETHING?? I have already sent them the e-mail about the change of schedule from two weeks ago!!"

"That's what I am talkin' about, Ryou. So, we're all dead now, they started coughing unstoppable and Atobe already spat all of his curse words to my face about that Korean and about you too,"

"WHAT??? OKAY, I WAS… NO. OKAY. I'll drive there for twenty minutes. Give them snack, give them lunch, whatever, make them watch a movie, our company's trailer or something. Give me twenty minutes,"

"…Okay," CLICK.

"SHIT. GODDAMN SHIT," Ryou put back his cell phone into his pocket. He rushed in to the hall and gain some unwanted attentions from the people near the door. He looked around, searched for his nephew. He must tell Ryouta before he go, and… Oh, shit. A big guilt punched his chest. His nephew was his every thing, the only family he got after the car crush that killed his big brother and his wife, yet he was always so busy with his work that he can't be with his nephew much. Now he even had to break his promise to wait there till the school time finished…

A little tug on the lower part of his shirt made Shishido looked down. Ryouta was staring at him, a worried expression on his face, "What's going on, Shishido-nii?"

"Oh my God, Ryouta," Ryou bit his lip. He hugged his nephew tightly and said quietly on the little boy's ear, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry… I have to go now… I'm so sorry,"

Ryouta kept silence. He just nodded his head, not saying anything. The boy must be really sad... Ryou hated himself now, really really hated himself now. He kissed his nephew's cheek lovingly, "I'm so sorry, Ryouta. I'm so sorry. But I'll pick you up, at 10 when the school time is over then we can have lunch together, okay?"

Ryouta just nodded again and Ryou felt a really pain feeling aching badly in his chest, seeing his nephew like that. It'll be a lot better for him if Ryouta just cried or shook his head. His nephew was only six but yet he can be that understandable… Shishido didn't like that fact even a bit. Children were supposed to be childish. But yet, there's nothing he can do about it… but at least, he must asked someone to watching over his Ryouta so nobody will stepped on the little boy in the middle of that crowd. He once again picked up Ryouta to him arm and brought him to the corner. The teachers over there were all surprised by his visit –they thought Ryouta was sick or something, but Ryou assured them that the boy was alright. He stepped to Ohtori-sensei, who was watching them with a confused face and he explained quickly, "Oh my God, something come up and I must go now, please watch over my nephew for me? Please?" The wavy-haired sensei seemed still confused at first but then he was smiling, "Okay," He held Ryouta, who was still so quiet, in his arm. Ryou gave Ryoutarou a quick apologizing peck before departed away.

The boy's eyes started to water but he brought his hand to his face and pressed it hard on his closed eyes, so the tears won't rolling down to his cheek. Ohtori stared at the boy, felt a huge sympathize knocked his heart by seeing the little boy. The boy suddenly felt so tiny in his arm. He whispered to Ryoutarou, "Ryoutarou, what else do you like to do besides playing piano?"

Ryoutarou blinked and answered weakly, "Reading a story book… Playing with Jazz and Rock… they're my uncle's dogs… Then with Blues and Pinky… the rabbits of mine,"

"You have rabbits?" Ohtori chuckled, "I bet they're so cute!"

"They are," Ryoutarou nodded, but still looked sad. Ohtori hummed, thought of something to cheer up the little boy.

"Ah… Have you tried playing dough?" Ohtori-sensei smiled.

Ryoutarou blinked once again, this time with a curiosity sparkling in his eyes, "What's that?"

"That's a secret, actually," Ohtori whispered, made a mysterious look on his face, "I'll show it to the others later but sensei will give you a privilege to see it first! Isn't that awesome?"

Ryouta seemed interested in this –he nodded eagerly and Ohtori smiled, "Okay then, off we go!"

Ryouta finally smiled again. He snuggled to the tall man as Ohtori walked to the playing room.

OxOxOxOx

In the same time, a certain spiky-haired man was driving his black SUV like crazy. He phoned his secretary already, ordered the young woman to prepare his laptop and brought them to the meeting room so he can directly go there after he arrived on the office. There was also a message from Oshitari, telling him that he ordered all the executives two boxes of most expensive sushi and they was enjoying them now –with an additional note from Atobe that if he can't pursued the Korean that their plan was awesome and worth try, he'll take the bill from Shishido's pay check.

"He's so rich already, why he's being so cheap??" Ryou screamed on his cell phone. Oshitari answered his protest with a huff and Ryou ended the call. The car ran smoothly on the road before entered a large building that was where Ryou was working now as the head of Product Design Department. He welcomed by the pale Oshitari on the front door.

Oshitari said quickly while walking beside Shishido towards the elevator, "I don't know if they have already finished all the sushi or not,"

"Whatever," Ryou pushed the 'up' button and the empty elevator opened its door immediately. He and Oshitari walked in. The Kansai guy's touch on the button that got number 5 printed on it made the elevator moved upstairs. Ryou sighed, "I lost Ryouta's first school day,"

"You can always visit him in the next chance," Oshitari grunted, "There's no other chance for this one. Made this good and quick and do all your best so you can go home quickly and being together with your nephew again,"

Ryou blinked at his friend, "That's actually true,"

"That's it,"

Ryou sighed once again. As the elevator's door open, a grin appeared on his lips, "I'll make all of them begging for buying me a ton of Otoro,"

Oshitari glanced to his friend and a smirk appeared on his lips –the Shishido Ryou he knew, that never failed in any projects that he designed, not just because the good concept but his power at pursues and presents them to the investors. They both walked to the meeting room. Ryou stopped in front of the door to inhale. He remembered his parents, his big brother, and then his Ryoutarou. Their images in his mind were like a successful mantra for him, making him calm and collected all the time. He let his fingers met the cold felt of the metal door knob and he opened the door.

"Okay, show time,"

OxOxOxOx

_Okay, so… how is it? Tell me if it's any good but also tell me if you felt there's something weird on the fic. I hope I can finish the second chapter in near times so you won't have to wait long._

_Reviews are a must and always welcomed happily XDDD_


	2. 愛 Ai

**Disclaimer : Tenipuri and all its characters never belongs to me. It belongs to Konomi Takeshi and I made no profit making this fic.**

**Again, for Mitsukai20. I don't know how long this fic will continue, but maybe it'll be a long one XDDDD I haven't really know though.**

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2nd Chapter

Shishido Ryou ran as he threw a quick glance to the watch on his wrist. He cursed under his breath before moved his legs faster –a miracle indeed because he was running like mad even before. He rushed in to the elevator, ignoring some surprised yelp from the people who were already inside.

The man with spiky brown hair tried to catch back some oxygen after losing it too much and couldn't balance it with the same amount of inhaling. He panted, shedding a sweat from his chin and tried to loosen the knot of his necktie. He never liked it, wearing a necktie, that's why he only wore it on the important meeting. A grin plastered in his mouth when he added in his mind, _but it's always worth to wore_. The previous presentation was, once again, a big success. The Korean all exclaimed 'sugoi', 'sugoi' happily with the strange accent. But oh well. It was a big success and they will sign the contract in three days. Atobe's lips twitched in a slight smile and Oshitari patted his shoulder with a huge smirk on his face. All's good, except the fact that he was late for picked Ryoutarou up. He blamed the Korean again for it –they pushed him to eat with them and he spent almost fifteen minutes explaining to them that he will have lunch with his nephew later, thank you very much, he has promised Ryoutarou for it and he didn't want broke another promise to his dear nephew.

The elevator was moving quickly, it just need 4 seconds for it to reached Ground Floor –Ryou's destination. Ryou inhaled some more before ready to ran again –this time towards the parking lot. He regretted it for not having a driver, it'll be necessary in times like these. He pulled out a remote from his pocket and pushed the unlock button. A black Spyker D12 beeped and Ryou jumped in. He turned on the machine, stepped on the gas pedal like crazy. He controlled the stir with his hands without tearing his eyes off from the scene of street in front of him. The black SUV zoomed off, running out from the big building's parking lot and quickly enter the main road smoothly. Sometimes he looked again at the digital numbers beeping on the radio screen, swearing when he found that he's already so late.

OxOxOxO

The little boy sighed as he sat down on the long chair near the front door. He looked at the kids who left with their mothers with sad eyes. A girl that was his classmate walked to him and asked, "Why don't you go home, Ryouta-chan?"

"My uncle hasn't arrived yet, Mimi-chan," Ryouta answered quietly.

"Do you want to come home with me?" Mimi asked with a happy smile, "My mommy brings car here and she can drive you home,"

Ryouta gave the girl a smile, but he shook his head, "It's okay. I'll wait for my uncle,"

With that, Mimi left. After Mimi, many parents or his classmates will stopped when they saw him and asked him why hadn't he go home yet and where's his mother and did he want them or their parents to drive him home, which Ryouta always answered politely with a shook of his head and a 'no'. Then all the people left, he was the only one stayed there and he really wanted to cry.

A soft voice called, "Ryouta,"

Ryouta looked up, "Ohtori-sensei…" The sight of the tall teacher made Ryouta want to cry again so badly. Ohtori sat beside him and Ryouta quickly moved to his lap. The young teacher smiled and circled his arm around the little boy's small waist. He got the problem already. So Ryouta's uncle was late. He won't ask Ryouta again about that. Ryouta's shoulder shivered as he pushed himself to not cry and Ohtori stared at the boy, felt the boy's sadness and loneliness and at the same time, he thought how to get rid of it.

"You must be bored if you just sit here, let's go in and playing something?" Ohtori asked the boy. He smiled, "Oh, right! You really wanted to play the piano before, right? There's no music section today, and Ryouta-kun hasn't got any chance to play it,"

Ryouta pouted. He shook his head, "Ryouta doesn't feel like want to playing now,"

"Why?" Ohtori asked the boy softly, "But sensei wants to listen to a song that Ryouta plays,"

Ryouta only sighed. Ohtori came up with another idea, "Then, how about we go to the library and sensei will read you a nice story book?" Ohtori whispered, "It's a legend of the animals and world before they got humans on it!"

"No humans?" Ryouta asked in whisper, interested.

"No humans!" Ohtori whispered back, and he made a serious face, "No Ryouta, and sensei wasn't there too. The world filled with animals and the animals can talk in our language…! When God created humans, they're actually really mad!"

"How come they-" Ryoutarou exclaimed loudly but then Ohtori-sensei covered his mouth. The tall man looked around and he furrowed his eyebrow to Ryouta, "You must speak in low voice, Ryouta… This story isn't supposed to be known…! If there's a single cat that hear us…"

Ryoutarou's eyes fluttered and he whispered, "Is it okay to tell me the story?"

"Of course," Ohtori-sensei grinned, "The story only being told to the ears of good kids. So, do you want to hear it?"

Ryoutarou nodded eagerly. Ohtori smiled widely, "Let's go to the library, then,"

Ryoutarou jumped from Ohtori's lap and they walked, hand in hand, towards the library. Ryouta felt his hand cold –he felt so curious about the mysterious story he's going to hear. Ohtori smiled when he saw Ryouta totally eager about the story and forget about his uncle's lateness. Ohtori sighed –but he had to speak to Shishido-san later about this. It's certainly not right, always abandoning his nephew like this.

Ohtori opened a wooden door with cute and colorful stuffy LIBRARY that made from felt on its surface. Ryouta's eyes widened when he saw inside. The library was large with the wallpaper in soft color, but the color can't be seen much because almost the entire wall was covered with book shelves. There're really a lot of books, thick and thin, large and small, all were kept neatly in the shelves. Ryouta ran in and Ohtori followed him with a smile on his lips. Then he walked to one of the corner, took a wide story book from one of the shelves. When Ryouta's eyes were back on him, Ohtori quickly put a serious face. He brought his finger in front of his lips and hissed, "Ssssh,"

Ryouta straighten his body. Ohtori came closer to the little boy and said quietly, "Are you ready, Ryouta…?"

Ryouta gulped before nodded nervously.

"Okay, let's sit, then," Ohtori sat and Ryouta followed.

Ohtori inhaled, and started, "Once upon a time…"

OxOxOxOx

A black luxury SUV stopped in front of the building. Ryou jumped out from his car and looked at the homey-style building name, just checking if he stopped on the wrong place. Tanpopo Kindergarten… A relieve, he's actually right.

But actually there's no need for the checking, because the second he appeared, Ryoutarou's loud voice of laughs can be heard already. Ryou grinned, but also ready for his nephew's angry scolds. He walked in through the low gate of the building, passing the blocks of colorful blooming flowers laying on the front yard and he walked further in to the source of the laughing sounds. There's also another voice –soft, calm and gentle, telling a story. But the voice sometimes changed based on which character that was speaking in the story –Ryou almost jumped in surprise when he hear the gentle voice changed to a rough and deep one –The Tiger's –so quickly then to a high-pitched squeak of The Rat.

It's from library, he can't be wrong. Ryou opened the door slowly and peeked inside. Ryoutarou was laying on his stomach on the carpet-covered floor, swaying his legs happily while listening to a man that was sat in front of him. The man, obviously, was the source of other voices. It was Ohtori-sensei and Ryou sighed –the teacher was really a big help. He must thank him a lot later.

Ohtori stopped when he felt someone presence on the door and he smiled, "Ryoutarou, your uncle already come,"

Ryoutarou looked up and he saw his uncle. Ryou was already ready with an apologizing face, but Ryoutarou, being a very understanding little boy he was, walked to his uncle with a smile in his lips. Besides, he got a lot of fun while waiting for his uncle with Ohtori-sensei. So it's okay.

"Ryoutarou…"

"How's the work, Ryou-nii?"

Ryou shut his mouth and he sighed, "I'm so sorry, Ryoutarou… I was late and all…"

"It's okay, I understand. Uncle was working hard for me so it's okay," Ryoutarou nodded. Ohtori was really surprised by Ryoutarou's mature thought. He's just six… Ohtori walked to the uncle and his nephew. He smiled to Ryoutarou, "Ryouta-kun, I want to talk with your uncle a little. You can read any books here,"

Ryouta blinked, "But we haven't finished the previous story…OOPS!" Ryouta covered his mouth quickly –he still thought that no body should know about the fairytale besides him and his Ohtori-sensei. Ohtori-sensei laughed, then he lower his voice, "We can't continue the story because somebody else already come here…! We will continue the story tomorrow, okay?"

Ryouta nodded and Ohtori turned to Shishido, an unusual serious look in his usual soft face. Ryou already knew what's this going to be –the young teacher was going to talk about he abandoned his nephew twice. Ryou blurted, "I'm so sorry!"

"I won't blame you," Ohtori said softly, "You got work to do and I completely understand that. Just… next time, if you're going to late, better if you say that first to Ryoutarou. So he won't felt so… abandoned,"

Ryou bit his lips. He watched Ryoutarou, who was reading the book happily in the corner, and he felt his heart's guilt grew bigger. Ryou sighed and he finally got courage to look at the young teacher. The face still so soft but at the same time, it was so serious. Ryou said quietly, "I'm sorry... But I really didn't expect this. The meeting started earlier that it supposed to be… and ended so late… and…"

"I get it," Ryou relieved when he saw Ohtori-sensei was smiling again. Ohtori asked, "Do you have some memo?"

"Why is it?" Ryou asked, blinking his eyes confusedly.

"You may want to keep the school's phone number?" Ohtori smiled, "So you can tell the teacher if you will late and one of the teachers can stay to accompany Ryoutarou. Fortunately I'm still here to lock the classes, so I can accompany him today. But usually, all teachers go home in the same time as the students,"

"Oh, okay," Ryou stuttered a bit. He took out his cell phone, "I'll just… save the number in my phonebook… That's alright... right? Uh, I mean… Is that okay?"

"Of course," Ohtori laughed. Ryou cursed himself for being so idiot all of sudden. He felt his cheek flushed and Ohtori-sensei chuckled. The taller man gave Ryou the numbers and when Shishido finished typing the name of the contact –'Ryoutarou's School' –Ryoutarou came to them, bringing a wide story book with colorful cover in his hand.

"What is it, Ryoutarou?" Both Ryou and Ohtori said that at the same time, before they looked at each other. Ryoutarou blinked and he laughed.

"O-okay," Ryou said nervously, "So-sorry,"

"It's okay," Ohtori smiled. Then he asked Ryoutarou again, "What's wrong with the book, Ryouta-kun?"

"This… can you read it for me?" Ryoutarou smiled widely, "Sensei was so good at telling the story…"

"Tomorrow, Ryoutarou," Ryou answered, "We have to go home now and Ohtori-sensei too,"

Ryoutarou made a sad face and Ohtori quickly added, "Tomorrow, I promise!" He smiled, "Now, since your uncle already came to pick you up, you must go home quickly!"

Ryoutarou looked up, "Is Ryoutarou… disturbing you, sensei?"

"Of course not!" Ohtori held the little hands, "Sensei can stay with a cute boy like you forever! But tomorrow we will go to the garden and plant so many seeds! Ryouta-kun needs so much energy… So Ryouta-kun must eat a lot with Ryou-nii later… Then when Ryouta-kun already arrived at home he must got a lot of sleep too, okay?"

Ryoutarou eyes brightened with sparkles and he nodded happily, "Um!"

Ryou stared at the young teacher in amazement. He's a man yet he can be so good at handling with kids. Then he felt someone poked on his side –he almost cracked up on this, his side part of body was the most ticklish one –and he turned his head. Ohtori-sensei whispered at him, "Don't use such stern tone to children. Make it softer and try to come up with a good explanation,"

Ryou stared at the young teacher, then nodded, "O-okay… thanks," He'll take the advice.

Ryoutarou titled his head and he asked curiously, "What were two of you talking about?"

Ohtori smiled, "I just giving your uncle an advice at how should he pay for being late," Ohtori gave Ryou a wink as he said, "And he said he is going to buy Ryouta-kun a very big parfait!"

Ryoutarou's eyes widened and he jumped happily, "Really?? Are you really going to buy me a parfait, Ryou-nii??"

Ohtori poked Ryou's side again and Ryou stuttered while trying to hold a yelp, "A-Ah, yes!" Okay, now he's going to practice the advice from before. He grinned as he stroked his nephew's hair, "Of course! Ryou-nii will buy Ryoutarou a really big and delicious parfait with a lot of strawberries and chocolates!"

"Woww!" Ryoutarou beamed. He hugged his Ryou-nii, "I love Ryou-nii so muucch!"

"Me too," Ryou said, his eyes grew teary all of sudden. He hugged back his nephew and said softly, "I love you so much, Ryoutarou, you know that, right?"

"Ryouta knows," His nephew smiled, "Even though Ryou-nii is always so busy and all, but I know Ryou-nii loves Ryouta so much,"

Ryou hugged the little boy tighter. He looked up to saw Ohtori and smiled a big thank you. Ohtori smiled back, as if said 'you're welcome'. But then the young teacher laughed, "Shishido-san? I think you should release Ryouta-kun now. I see Ryouta-kun is turning blue,"

"OH MY GOD!" Ryou yelled. He released Ryouta-kun and asked worriedly, "You're alright, Ryouta? Are you fine??" Ryoutarou wasn't turning to any weird color, but indeed, he couldn't breathe before because of his uncle's tight hug. But the little boy just giggled, "It's okay, Ryou-nii, I love hugs! Ah! Besides the parfait, can Ryouta got a hamburger too?"

Ryou grinned, "Sure!" He picked up the boy and pecked the chubby cheek lovingly before started to walk out from the library. Ohtori walked them to the gate. Shishido stared the younger man and decided to ask, "Uh… Ohtori-sensei… do you want to… have a lunch with us? And I can drive you home… Eh –I make you have to stay and I bet you haven't eaten any lunch…"

"AH, YES!!" Ryoutarou exclaimed happily, "Sensei, you should come with us!"

To both the brown-haired guys' disappointment, Ohtori shook his head, "No, it's okay," He smiled, "I still have some more work to do…"

Ryoutarou's face grew so sad, and Ohtori smiled to the little boy, "Next time, I promise,"

"Promise me," Ryouta stuck out his pinkie and Ohtori chuckled as he tied their pinkies together. Ryoutarou grinned widely. Ohtori waited till Ryoutarou was already in the car, sat neatly with his safety belt already on the place.

"See you, sensei!" Ryouta waved happily.

"See you tomorrow, Ryoutarou-kun!" Ohtori waved back, then he smiled, "And Shishido-san, too,"

Shishido smiled back, "Thank you very much for today,"

"It's okay," The wavy-haired man said, "Bye!"

Ryou turned on the machine before started to drive the car.

"Now… where shall we eat?" Ryou asked.

Ryoutarou gave him a long 'uhhhmmm' before said happily, "It's up to you, Ryou-nii!"

Ryou laughed and drove his car to a family restaurant that Oshitari had mentioned once to him as 'got the best parfait in the town'. Of course, Oshitari tried so many cafes and restaurants, because he had to bring each girl to different dating places.

Ryou parked the black car at the only one empty car row. It's almost 11 already, and so many people wanted to have an early lunch or even late breakfast. The hungry little boy jumped out from the car before rushed in excitedly and quickly took a seat in the table near a small fountain on the center of the eating hall. He waved to Shishido, "Ryou-nii, here, here!!!"

Shishido grinned at his nephew's cuteness. He sat in front of Ryoutarou and a small woman in maid uniform came to them, ready with notes and menu books in her hands. She smiled to them, "Good evening. Here's the menu book," She gave the menu book to both Ryou and Ryoutarou. Ryou opened the menu book to the parfaits' list and offered it to Ryoutarou, which beamed at the pictures of tasty-looked parfaits. His eyes watched the pictures while he put his index finger on his chin, thinking of which one he should choose.

"Ne, Ryou-nii," Ryoutarou looked up to his uncle. He pointed at a pictures of a parfait with very much strawberries on it, a chocolate parfait, and a waffle parfait, "Ryoutarou wants this, this and this too,"

"Ryoutarou, pick one. Do you remember what happen the last time I buy you three parfaits in once?"

Ryoutarou bowed his head, "I got a really bad cough…"

"That's really true," Shishido smiled, "Choose one and I'll buy you the others sometimes,"

Ryoutarou grinned, "Okay then!" He looked up to the waitress and said, "I want this one, Madam!" while pointing at the Strawberry Parfait picture, "But I'll have it as dessert… Could you please bring it here only after I finished the dishes with my uncle…?"

"I get it," The waitress smiled at the little boy's politeness and wrote down his request on her note book. Shishido ordered a cup of cold green tea and grilled eel with rice.

The little boy called again, "Ryou-nii?"

"Hm?"

"Ohtori-sensei said that Ryouta must eat much! So can Ryouta order the something else besides the hamburger?" Ryoutarou asked with a begging look in his eyes.

Ryou blinked. He can't say no to his lovely nephew, no to mention when the boy got that kind of look in his face. The older man sighed and he grinned, pinched his nephew's chubby cheeks softly, "Okay, okay. Order whatever you want," Ryoutarou smiled widely, before beginning to list the name of meals that he wanted to eat to the young waitress.

Their orders ready in around twenty minutes and they both, Ryoutarou with his hunger from waiting and Shishido from his exhaustion of works and meetings, wiped all the food clean from the plates in fifteen minutes. Ryoutarou huffed, smiling big as he patted on his stomach while Shishido smiled, satisfied. He sipped on his coffee, then said to Ryoutarou, "Why don't you ask for your parfait now, Ryouta?"

"Oh, that's right!" Ryoutarou grinned. He jumped out from his chair before walked to the waitress that was serving them before. The waitress laughed and nodded, and the little boy walked back to his chair.

"Ryouta," Ryou said to his nephew as the little boy already sat back in the chair, "How was the school? I'm so sorry I can't stay…"

"It's alright, Ryou-nii!" Ryouta smiled, "Ryouta enjoyed it so much! All the teachers are so kind and all Ryouta's friends are too! The teachers and the mothers said to Ryouta that he's so lucky because he got a really good looking father," Ryouta giggled when he was his uncle's cheek flushed.

Ryou coughed, "You don't tell them that I'm actually your uncle?"

"Ryouta told them then they said they want to come over to our house!" Ryouta grinned.

Ryou almost spitted his green tea. That heard so damn scary. He coughed more and Ryouta went to pat his uncle's back, "Are you alright, Ryou-nii??"

"I-I am," Ryou gulped, "Look, your parfait,"

Ryouta ran back to his chair as the big parfait was put on the table. The ice cream was vanilla and strawberry flavored. It got a lot of strawberry jam, whipped cream and big strawberries on the top and in the ice cream. Even to Ryou's eyes, the ice cream looked so tasty.

"Can I taste some also, Ryouta?" Ryou asked.

"No!" Ryouta answered.

Ryou frowned, "Why you're being so cheap to your own uncle?"

"But this is supposed to be a payback because Ryou-nii was late," Ryouta answered.

Ryou gave up. He sighed, "Okay then,"

Ryouta looked up to his uncle and giggled, "I'm just kidding, Ryou-nii! You may taste it!"

Ryou grinned, "Thank you so much, my lovely nephew!" He just wanted to take the spoon but Ryouta slapped his hand, "No!"

"You said I can…" Ryou frowned as he rubbed his aching hand.

Ryouta shook his head, "Ryouta should eat it first!"

"Okay, hurry up," Ryou waited. Ryouta scooped a spoonful of the ice and shoved it to his mouth. He shivered with blushed cheek and wide smile, "Soo gooood!!!"

"Feed me," Ryou smiled before opened his mouth wide. Ryouta took another spoonful and feed his uncle. Ryou got the same reaction as his nephew –the ice cream was indeed so delicious!

"Ryouta, give me more, more," Ryou pointed as he opened his mouth again. Ryouta frowned, moved his parfait closer to him, "No! You can taste it only once,"

Ryou pouted, "What…"

Ryouta didn't care –he's too busy eating his parfait. Ryou sighed. But then he smiled. After all, Ryouta looked so happy. It was already good for him. He remembered about the young teacher and wondered a bit about 'the work' that Ohtori said he got to do.

OxOxOxOxO

_Isn't it fast? XD_

_I really excited about this fic that I can't help to continue it! XDDD_

_Thanks for all the reviews in the first chapter :D I'll work harder so the story will come out good and maybe try to fix my grammar too : ) Thank you so much! Once again, reviews are very much appreciated :D _


	3. 사랑 Sarang

**Disclaimer : Prince of Tennis and all its characters aren't mine. I just play with it a little XD**

**Again, it's the third chapter of A Lot of Love, a long chaptered fic for my dear friend Mitsukai20. Maybe he's busy and all, I hope him all the best ^^**

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**3****rd**** Chapter**

Three days had passed and Ryouta adapted really nice with the school. He befriended well with his Rabbit Class' classmates and even the boys and girls from Puppy Class and Kitty Class. The teachers also liked him, because little Ryouta was really polite and smart. The one thing all the teachers most worried about the boy wasn't that he always hated to learn how to read or write or that he was so crybaby. Ryouta was always so eager about writing new letter and reading it out loud in the class, and he won't cry even when he fell and his knee bleed a lot. The little boy did everything by himself and never cried, never whined, always did the entire subject that was given diligently, which made the adults wondered about that. He's just six and that's just not right.

And the teachers talked about that when the children were all on their futons for the nap time.

"He's so responsible. He never acts egoist or stubborn. That's a good thing, but I don't know… it feels weird," The homeroom teacher of Kitty Class, Haru-sensei, said. The young teacher gulped the rest of her strawberry milk before sighed, "Children were supposed to be childish. They cried to get what they want and all. But Ryoutarou never did something like that,"

Ohtori just stared at his coworkers who were all agreeing what Haru-sensei said. Fumiko-sensei, the old lady who already worked in the kindergarten for five years and popular with her so loud voice, added, "You're right, Haru-san! I have taught here for five years and I never see a boy that was so polite and unbelievingly nice like him!"

The other sensei nodded again, then Fumiko-sensei turned her head to the quiet young man who sat on the corner. Ohtori-sensei was drinking his tea when Fumiko-sensei asked loudly, "What do you think of him, Ohtori-sensei?! You're his homeroom teacher, right??!"

The only man in the room blinked then he smiled, "Mm? I think Ryouta is a very good boy,"

The other sensei nodded again. Before Fumiko-sensei could say anything else –because the old woman began to roll his eyeballs and opened her mouth –Ohtori-sensei stood up and said, "I will take the trash," He took the big plastic bag contained the empty milk boxes and used lunch wrappers with him and held it in his hand as he walked to the nearest big trash bin outside the teacher's room. He never liked the little talk of teachers and he always felt guilty after experiencing one.

His brown eyes caught a sight of a little boy stood by the door of Rabbit Class and he blinked. There's one of his student that hadn't sleep yet. The last time he checked, he was sure everyone was already asleep.

He entered the door of his class and peeked inside. All his girls and boys were laying on their futons, breathed softly, but his eyes spotted one empty futon. That's when he felt someone poked his back. Ohtori turned and his grew a smile when he saw who the poker was.

"Something woke you up, Ryouta-kun?"

Ryouta shook his head and he answered slowly, "I never take a nap before so I can't sleep in this hour, sensei… I don't close my eyes even a second in two days before,"

Ohtori bent to reach the boy's cheek and he stroked it softly, "What do you usually do at this hour then?"

Ryouta hummed and he said, "Playing with Jazz and Rock, reading books… riding my bicycle around the house or playing roller skate… or swimming… Pretending to be a tarzan in the backyard…"

Ohtori laughed. He took the little boy's hand and smiled, "Well, you have to try to sleep. Because the more you sleep, the taller you will be!"

Ryouta blinked, "Is that really true?"

"That was sensei's grandmother said to sensei and sensei took a nap everyday when sensei was still so little. And it succeeds, right?" Ohtori laughed.

Ryouta nodded seriously –Ohtori was ridiculously tall! Ryouta wanted to be tall –he was the shortest boy in his class now. Not too much apart, actually, but he want to be taller. So he let his sensei took him to his futon. Ohtori pulled the blanket to the little boy's chin and stayed there, even laid him self on the tiny space of the futon beside Ryouta.

"I'll be here till you asleep," Ohtori-sensei answered the questioning look on Ryouta's face. He stroked Ryouta's hair softly. Ryouta watched the sensei's face that was so close with his now. Ohtori-sensei wasn't cool or something, but he always gave everyone a really nice warm feeling. Ryouta liked all the sensei, but still, the one that he liked the most was Ohtori-sensei.

"I can't sleep," The boy said once again.

Ohtori smiled, "How do you know?"

Ryouta thought before said quietly, "I don't feel like want to…"

Ohtori laughed and he said softly, "Then why don't you try with close your eyes first?"

The little boy blinked but then he obeyed. He closed his eyes and he waited for some sleepy feelings to come to him. But not so long after that the boy opened his eyes and frowned, "Sensei, this isn't gonna work,"

"You haven't tried long enough,"

"But it's scary to see only darkness," Ryouta huffed. He thought and added quickly before Ohtori could say anything to answer him, "Ohtori-sensei, may I ask something?"

Ohtori blinked, but then he smiled, "Of course,"

"Ohtori-sensei, do you have any dream when you were at my age?" Ryouta asked.

"Mm…" Ohtori hummed and answered, "I have,"

"What was that?"

"I was…" Ohtori closed his eyes, as like he was remembering about his children time. A wide smile formed in the young teacher's lips, "When I was your age, I really like to read story books…"

Ryouta cut happily, "Just like me?"

Ohtori opened his eyes and grinned, "Yes, just like you," He nudged Ryouta's nose softly and they both laughed by this. Ryouta snuggled closer to the young teacher and he said, "Continue your story, sensei!"

"Okay," Ohtori smiled, "I really like to read story books… Actually, I like to read everything. I read anything that contains letters on it. One day I found a really strange book in my neechan's book shelf,"

"What's strange about that book?" Ryouta blinked.

"It was realllyyy thick!" Ohtori-sensei furrowed his eyebrow while his fingers tried to help Ryouta imagine about how thick the book was. Ryouta's eyes widened in amazement –from the gesture that his sensei gave to him, the book seemed to be so thick! Ohtori-sensei grinned, "But I really wanted to read it because of the beautiful cover. And when I opened it, I was so amazed,"

"Why?" Ryouta asked, blinking his eyes slowly.

Ohtori smiled, "The content was as beautiful as the cover. It's about the wonderful places in the world and some of them were untouched… The book was written by a man that already experienced all of those things by him self. And he captured a lot of pictures… Some of them were really funny. And by that book, sensei always wants to go around the world when he was little,"

"Wow!" Ryouta's eyes glittered, "Even now?"

Ohtori laughed, "Now… Sensei is happy in this country when he belongs to," He stroked Ryouta's cheek, "And if I go to travel around the world, who will teach Ryouta and the others how to sing the new songs?"

"Umm," Ryouta nodded, "That's right. And Ryouta will miss sensei so much. I'm sure Mimi-chan, Kei-chan and the others will too!!" The little boy hugged Ohtori tightly, "Sensei, don't go! If you want to go, bring us with you!"

Ohtori laughed as he hugged Ryouta back. He patted Ryouta's head softly, "I won't go anywhere else, and if I go I will bring all of you with me, alright,"

Ryouta mumbled on Ohtori's stomach, "If I grow up later… I will bring sensei around the world. With Ryou-nii,"

Ohtori smiled, "Okay, I'll accept that invitation,"

Ryouta looked up and grinned widely. Then he yawned –before the little boy widened his eyes in surprise by his previous action, "I'm… sleepy!"

Ohtori laughed, "That's good. Now, sleep!"

Ryouta yawned again and he closed his eyes. The little arms that were around his hips grew tighter and Ohtori let the little boy –soon the boy will fell asleep and it'll be easier by then to release him self. Then the young teacher heard Ryouta mumbled, "Sensei?"

Ohtori smiled, "Hm?"

"If we go around the world, maybe we can meet mommy and daddy in our way," Ryouta said slowly. His eyes were still closed, and as like he just thought a really good idea, the smile formed on the little lips.

Ohtori stared at the little boy. He knew the story about the little boy's parents already –Ryou told the principal about that and the old lady told all the teachers so they won't talk about that 'sensitive part' of Ryouta. Ohtori couldn't help but felt confuse. He didn't know how to answer.

"Do you know where your parents now, Ryouta?" Ohtori asked quietly.

Ryouta opened his eyes a little before closed them again slowly, "Ryou-nii said that now they are in a place that very far from here... Ryouta asked if Ryouta can visit them but Ryou-nii said that the place is only for special people and someday Ryouta will go there too but not now…" Ryouta smiled, "But even if the place is so far, if we travel around the world, we might be able to meet them, right? Sensei…"

Ohtori's eyes fluttered. He almost cried. It felt so hurt, hearing a little kid said something like that. He embraced the little boy lovingly, knew the boy's feeling so well. He remembered the cry of his sister and the whispers of people… and he shut his eyes tightly.

xOxOxOxOxOx

"Ohtori-sensei?"

The wavy-haired man opened his eyes slowly –the scene of many heads staring at him made he jumped in surprise. The children laughed and Ohtori blinked. He looked around and realized that he also fell asleep with Ryouta. The latter was already waked up, grinned at him while standing in the first row of his students. Ohtori-sensei laughed with his students, before got up and said, "Everyone, thanks for waking sensei up! Now, let's tidy all of the futons together, okay?"

The students yelled "Yesss!!!" in unison. They worked together to put the futons back to the futon cupboard and after that, they started the lesson. Ryouta jumped excitedly to his chair as he saw Ohtori-sensei brought a mini keyboard with him when he entered the class.

"You're going to play it, Ohtori-sensei?" The little boy asked happily. The young teacher nodded and he smiled, "We haven't got any chance to play the grand piano in the hall, but this can do. You want to play it, Ryouta?"

Ryouta's eyes sparkled, "C-Can I?"

"Ryouta, you can play piano?" Mimi walked to the boy and her big eyes widened, "Ryouta is so cool!" Ryouta looked around and saw his friend gathered around him and he felt his cheek grew warm. Ohtori grinned, "Ryouta will play to us. All of you want to hear Ryouta's playing, right?"

The class boomed with a loud agreement and Ryouta bowed his flaming face.

"Okay, okay!" Ohtori laughed, "Now…" Ohtori straighten his body and said with deep voice, "All the audience, please ready on your seat. We proudly present our greatest, most amazing, magnificient, terrific, incredible pianist–"

"Sensei, you said it like in the boxing championship," One kid said and the class laughed. Ohtori laughed also, "Was I? Oh, okay!" Ohtori coughed and he made his voice sounded formal, "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,"

Some kids giggled and Ohtori continued, "We will start the show now. Please pay attention that you can make any sound until the show ended…"

"How about a sneeze?" One child asked and the other children laughed. Ohtori pretended a frown and huffed, "Okay, okay! Sneeze is allowed,"

Another child added, "How about a cough, sensei?!"

Ohtori frowned more, "Cough… is… allowed, okay,"

"What if when we want to go to the toilet?" The other asked again.

Ohtori huffed, "Too much questions, all of you…" Then children laughed and soon Ohtori joined them. He smiled, "Okay, Ryouta. You can start now,"

The class cheered and Ryouta laughed while his cheek reddened more. He sat on the chair behind the table where Ohtori put the mini keyboard on it and started. He played the only song he knew… a cute kid song that he learned from his dear uncle.

He finished it well –he played it so much time before that he remembered nicely every notes. He bowed his head a little while his friends widened their eyes and clapped in admires. Ohtori smiled, clapping his hands with his students.

"Now, now. After we heard the amazing play of Ryouta, we feel moreeee excited to learn the new song, don't we??" Ohtori smiled. The children nodded happily and Ohtori took a seat behind the keyboard. He began to play, and soon the class filled with happy voice of singing angels.

OxOxOxOx

"You're late for three consecutive times!" Ohtori smiled.

Ryou felt his cheek grew warm. Okay, that was absolutely an insult, even though the young teacher said it with such a sweet and happy voice. He mumbled, "Good evening, Ohtori-sensei,"

Ohtori laughed, "Good evening, Shishido-san,"

Ryouta ran to his uncle, "Ryou-niiii!!"

"Ryouta, I'm sorry I'm late again…" Ryou bend to his nephew.

Ryouta grinned, "You've told me so it's okay! Ryou-nii, Ryou-nii! Ohtori-sensei is teaching me a new song to play with piano!"

Ryou stared at the teacher who was sitting behind the mini keyboard, "You are?"

"Because Ryouta wanted to play keyboard so much…" Ohtori smiled. He walked to Ryou, and then heard Ryouta exclaimed to his uncle, "Ryou-nii! I want to be a musician when I grow up!"

"Why?" Ryou laughed, "That's pretty cool,"

"Kei-chan said that his big brother plays flute in one orchestra and now he is touring around the world! You see, Ryou-nii…" Ryouta glanced at Ohtori, "If we go around the world, we might meet mommy and daddy!"

Both adults stayed silent. Ryou's eyes widened and he stared at Ohtori who looked so speechless about that. Ohtori really didn't know what to do. Was it better to tell him the truth? He remembered about himself… he shook his head. He licked his sudden dry lips and glanced at Ryou. _I'm sorry… I don't know what to do either. Please say something to little Ryouta._

Ryou received that glance and gulped. Then he said to Ryou, "Ne, Ryou?"

"Yes?"

"About your mommy and daddy. I said that they are on a really far place, right?"

"Mm," Ryouta nodded, "And you said the place is only for special people…"

Ryou smiled, "You remembered what I said, that's good. Remember not so long time ago I brought you to one hill and we watched the stars in the sky together?"

"Oh, yes!" Ryouta nodded. He smiled happily, "There were a lot of stars!"

"Your mommy and daddy, now they are two of them," Ryou said softly. Ryouta blinked. He stared at his uncle for a few moment and repeated, "Mommy and daddy were in star?"

"They turned to stars," Ryou smiled, "That was awesome, wasn't it?"

Ryouta bowed, "But… then… there's really no chance that I can ever meet them again…?"

Ohtori stared at Ryouta and decided to speak. He put his hand on Ryouta's shoulder and said softly, "You will meet them later, but not now. You know how the stars will blink every time you smile at them?"

Ryouta looked at the young teacher and nodded.

"That's your mother and father smiling back to you. If you have something to say to them, just say it to the night sky," Ohtori smiled, "I'm sure they will receive your message,"

Ryouta blinked. He stared at Ryou then back to Ohtori, "So mommy and daddy were in sky now?"

Ohtori and Ryou returned a glance before slowly nodded. Ryouta furrowed his eyebrow and said, "Well, then, it's decided," He finished his sentence with a grin.

Ryou blinked, "W-What is it?"

"I'll be an astronaut!" Ryouta said proudly. Ryou and Ohtori blinked.

Finally, Ryou decided to just laugh, "Okay then. You can be one when you grow up. But you see, there are so many stars out there in the sky –I'm not sure that you will meet your mommy and daddy,"

"It's okay, I'll search for them!" Ryouta grinned. Ohtori looked at the uncle and nephew, then sighed. Maybe it's better. He smiled and stroked Ryouta's hair softly, "Don't you feel hungry, Ryouta?"

"Oh yes, I'm so hungry!" Ryouta growled. He glared at his uncle, "Ryou-nii, you must buy me a very largeeee ice cream with biscuits and chocolate!"

Ryou frowned, "You can't eat ice cream everyday! You will get a bad cough,"

"Then don't pick me up late!" Ryouta stuck out his tongue. Ohtori laughed while Ryou frowned more, and finally gave up. They walked to Ryou's car outside the front gate. Ryou helped the little boy jumped in to the car and wore him the seat belt. He then closed the door and was walking towards the driver's door when he remembered about something. He stopped, stared at the young teacher who looking back at him.

Ohtori smiled, "What's wrong, Shishido-san?"

"Mm," Ryou said with quiet voice, "I don't know. I just surprise that there's actually time when you can't answer kids' question," He grinned, "You seemed always so good at treating them…"

Ohtori blinked and chuckled, "Oh, that. Yeah. If it's about death and life, I really don't know what to do…" He stopped. Ryou actually waited him to say more but the young teacher only bowed his head, fell so silence all of sudden. But as he just moved a little to ran back to the car, Ohtori said, "My parents died when I was eight,"

Ryou stared at the man in front of him. He blinked, and then said quietly, "I… I'm sorry,"

"It's okay," Ohtori smiled, "It's just… I was on my second grade… Our family was on trip to somewhere and there's truck… And all became dark. As I opened my eyes, I saw my parents laid on the road with blood on them, there're so many of it and my sister was crying… We stayed like that for four hours, no body stopped to give us their hand… until the cops arrived with ambulance,"

Ryou winced. That's terrible…

Ohtori laughed quietly, "I mean… It was so hard for me, because all of the people who came to the funeral said your parents already passed away. You can never meet them again. They… died. And I thought it must be hard for Ryouta too, if he knew the truth in such a little age…" Ohtori smiled, "When he grows older, he will understand what we meant by the stars and the far place… But it's not alright to let him know… now. Even if he's so mature and all… No kids can't take… _that_ far,"

"I understand," Ryou smiled, but then he grew nervous, "I… Mm. Thank you so much,"

Ohtori chuckled, "For what?"

"Sharing the story," Ryou said, "It must be hard for you. Thanks,"

Ohtori blinked twice before smiled, "Your welcome,"

"RYOU NIII!!" Ryou startled and looked back. Ryouta yelled from the car, frown on his cute face and he yelled again, "I'm sooo hungrrryyy!!"

"Oh, okaaay!" Ryou yelled back. He turned to Ohtori and they both shared a grin, "You see, the little prince over there –he's hungry and…"

"Okay," Ohtori laughed, "Please serve him well. He's one of my precious students,"

Ryou grinned again before stuttered with flaming cheeks, "Mm… And… W-Would you come with us? I can drive you home,"

"Ah," Ohtori smiled, "No, it's okay. I have to lock the classrooms and all…"

"Oh," Ryou nodded, "Okay… I think… Mm. I will try to pick Ryouta earlier tomorrow,"

Ohtori laughed, "A nice resolution,"

"Yeah," Ryou laughed.

"RYOU-NIIII…!!"

"Okay, coming!" Ryou yelled.

"You should go now," Ohtori laughed. Ryou laughed too and he ran to the car. He was welcomed by a frown in Ryouta's face and a grumble, "Ryou-nii, don't hit on Ohtori-sensei,"

"W-WHAT??" Ryou screamed. He felt his cheek grew warm, "I- I DIDN'T…"

Ryouta huffed, "I know that Ryou-nii was lonely with no girls, but you can't be that desperate that you hit on another man… And therefore, Ohtori-sensei belongs to Rabbit Class!"

Ryou stared at his nephew with mouth all open. He stared blankly through the window to Ohtori-sensei that was still waited in front of the gate. The young teacher saw Shishido and he smiled, waved his hand. Ryouta stuck out his head and his hand to wave back, "BYE, SENSEII!!"

"See you tomorrow, Ryouta!" Ohtori smiled.

"I didn't hit on your teacher," Ryou grumbled. He frowned, "I… didn't. At all…"

_Did I?_

OxOxOxOxO

_Wuw. There is it. The third chapter… How is it?_

_So, that's the past of our dear teacher. It just came up in my mind and I don't think I should make it a big thing in the storyline… I just want to show you all that Ohtori actually had a weakness XD_

_Reviews are all greatly appreciated 3_


	4. Liebe

**Disclaimer : No, it's not mine D:**

**A/N : For Mitsukai20 ^^ Thanks for the reviews, girls (or guys XD)! Thank you for liking this story. I'll try to update faster than before :)**

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**4****th**** Chapter**

Ryou stepped on the break pedal and he huffed. He grinned as he glanced at his wrist watch. He didn't late! For the first time, he didn't late in picking up his nephew! The brunette got off from his SUV and he walked in through the front gate. The front side of the school already full with the mothers that were going to pick up their children. All of them were chatting with another on their side with kind of loud voice, but as Ryou walked further in, the chat's voice decreased until it reached whispers.

Ryou began to felt uncomfortable. _Are they staring at me?_ His finger explored his face –to check if there's something weird on his face, but he found nothing. The young man stood, leaning against the wall because he didn't find any empty space in the long chairs that can't be sat on. Tried to ignore the whispers from all around him, he took out his PDA and began to check his schedule for tomorrow. _Meeting. Pick up Ryouta. Lunch. Meeting. Discussion with Atobe. _He hated the last one very much. Not that he hated Atobe. They saw on certainly different point of view in almost every matter of things, and they fashion style was certainly different, but he knew his boss wasn't a bad person. Only, lately, discussion with Atobe always ended up to one certain thing:

"When are you going to married, Shishido?"

And Shishido hated that question. Last time, he snapped, "Atobe, could you please… shut up or something? I will tell you if I'm going to get married someday, okay?"

His boss leaned against his big chair with a sigh, "I just think that you desperately need someone to be on your side and to take care of you… especially how you dressed. Where's your tie?"

Ryou gritted his teeth as he shoved out a wrinkled tie from his pocket, "This. But I'm not gonna wearing it," He sighed, "If it's about the fact that I have to go out from the office every 11 until 1 to pick up my nephew from his school and get him lunch and all, I can't really give this job to another person. I have to contribute in my nephew's life that little,"

"You contributed much in your nephew's life," Atobe rolled his eyes, "But, it's okay. As long as you're not abandoning your work, it's okay enough. But you know, that's not why I tell you to get married. At least, go get a girlfriend, Shishido. I don't want hear the secretaries gossiping about you being a gay,"

"JUST –!" Shishido groaned, "I'm not gay. And even if I am, as long as I still work for you, it's good enough, right? You don't want me to move to another company with perfectly caring boss which never messed up with his staff's private life, okay?"

"Well," Atobe smirked –the one that looked perfectly like Oshitari's, "If your work disturbed because you can't relieve your needs of sex–"

"OKAY, JUST…" Shishido cut off his boss' words. He glared at Atobe before his eyes shifted to the clock, "Okay. I have to pick up my nephew. Can we continue it later? Or… never?"

"Later," Atobe answered, "Tomorrow,"

"Bye, then," Shishido walked furiously from the big office room.

And that's the end of the discussion. He sighed. Like he can had any sex with little Ryou around in the house. And he wasn't in need for that thing, really. He was busy already with his job. He didn't need a girl for being all clingy to him and phoned him late at night only to make him woke up late the next morning. Ryou looked to his watch –almost 11 already. Soon the bell will rang and…

RINGGGGGGGGGGG…!!!

Ryou grinned. A couple of minutes later, the waiting hall filled with kids and their little exclaim as they ran to their mommy. Ryou spotted his nephew, walked hand in hand with the tall sensei with a bright, wavy hair. He smiled when he recognized that sensei as Ohtori.

"Ryouta~!" He called.

Ryouta looked up and a bright smile appeared on the cute face. He ran to his uncle and Ryou laughed. "Look, I come in time!" Ryou grinned. He picked Ryouta and held the little boy in his hand, "How's my nephew's day?"

"Ryou-nii, you are not late today, that's great!" Ryouta laughed.

Ryou kissed the cheek softly, "Thank you for the compliment. Now shall we go home? What would you like to have for our lunch?"

"Sushii!" The little boy answered, "I want to eat sushi!"

"Okay, we'll eat sushi then," Ryou smiled, then waved to Ohtori.

Ohtori smiled back.

Ryou nudged his nephew, "Ne, Ryouta, say goodbye to Ohtori-sensei,"

Ryouta nodded before ran to hug his dear sensei and Ohtori smiled. He said softly to the boy, "Have a nice lunch. Don't forget to ask your uncle about the bentou, okay?"

Ryouta's eye glanced at the right side while he mumbled as the answer, "Mm,"

Ryou blinked. _Bentou?_

"What bentou?" Ryou asked. He bent to his nephew's height, tapped the head softly and repeated his question, "What bentou, Ryouta?"

"It's –" Ohtori just opened his mouth, wanted to help the boy answering the question but Ryouta quickly said, "It's nothing. Let's go, Ryou-nii, Ryouta is starving… Bye, Ohtori-sensei," The little boy pulled his uncle by his hand to the car. Ryou exchanged a glance with Ohtori but the young teacher didn't say anything –but he did look so worried.

They got in to the car without saying anything. Ryouta stared at his nephew who fell silence all of sudden and decided to not ask anymore.

OxOxOxOxOx

Ryou came home at seven with Ryouta's favorite macaroni cheese and pizza in the plastic bag in his hand, found Ryouta was in front of the piano, playing a new song that Shishido bet was taught by Ohtori. His twin dogs, Jazz and Rock were beside the little boy, swaying their furry tails along with the flowing music notes.

"Ryouta," Ryou smiled. His nephew looked up and smiled, before yelled a happy, bright tone of "Welcome home, Ryou-nii!!!" He got a hug and licks all over his faces from Jazz and Rock and they four ate the meal while watching a film about weasel in Discovery Channel. Ryou watched the little boy shoved a spoonful of macaroni to his mouth and then to Jazz's. The young uncle felt a big urge to ask his nephew again about the bentou, but he didn't know how to. Certainly, Ryouta didn't want to talk about that, and he didn't want to force his nephew.

That's when the phone rang and Ryou quickly got up from the sofa, "I will get it," He walked to the phone table on the corner of the room and picked it on the fifth ring.

"Hello?"

"_Hello. Is it Shishido-san?"_

Ryou furrowed his eyebrows –he couldn't catch the speaker from the voice, "If you look for the Shishido Ryou one without any 'Tarou' after that, yes it's me,"

A familiar chuckle made Ryou realized who it was. Ohtori.

"_Yes, I'm looking for the Ryou one without any Tarou behind,"_ Ohtori said, _"It's Ohtori…"_

"Yeah… I know,"

"…_You know?"_

Ryou blushed –for unknown reason, he felt so embarrassed all of sudden, "Yeah. Your chuckle. Go on,"

Ohtori laughed. His voice was soft when he said, _"I'm sorry for calling so suddenly. I know your phone number from school, because I…"_

"Is it about the…" Ryou glanced at Ryouta. The little boy was still watching the weasel sneaked in to the forest for the search of the foods with his mouth gaped open and a spoon full of macaroni covered in cheese in his hand, but he maybe realized if Ryou said something that began with Ben and ended with Tou, so he said, "'B' thing?"

"_Mm. Ryouta is with you?"_

"He is on the sofa, eating macaroni and I'm on the phone with you, so… not really… But maybe it's better if I say B thing instead of… you know,"

"_Yeah, I can accept that,"_ Ryou can felt that Ohtori was smiling. The young teacher inhaled before started, _"So, actually… for tomorrow and two days later, all the children have to bring bentou to school. We will have little trips for three days and have lunch outside,"_

"What trip?" Ryou frowned, "I never heard about this…"

"_Ah… It was told to the parents on the first day of school,"_

Ryou remembered about his meeting with the Koreans and growled, "Oh… Okay. So… they will have a little trip… Is it far?"

"_We will go to farm and a dog-breeding, to the botany park and then to the nursing home. That way, the children can study about nature and affection in more interesting way… That's what the teachers think. I never… I never think about if there's a child like Ryouta…"_ Ohtori heard really guilty and that made Ryou felt uneasy.

"That's okay, it's not your fault… I… then… what can I do? Maybe I must speak with him…?" Ryou asked.

"_I have better idea!"_ Ohtori said, now sounded happier, _"Despite of talk before act, it think it's always succeed more to act before talk,"_

Ryou wrinkled his forehead, "What do you mean by that?"

"_Okay, listen to my idea…"_

"Ryou-nii?"

"HUWAAAAAAA!" Ryou screamed in surprise. He glanced to the phone and then to his nephew, "E-Eh. What is it, Ryouta?"

"I want to go to sleep," Ryouta yawned, "Good night,"

"Oh, okay," Ryou smiled. He patted his nephew's head, "I'll walk you to the bed later –brush your teeth first, okay? I have… someone on the phone,"

Ryouta blinked, and Ryou felt the little boy was a little suspicious, but even if he was, he just nodded and walked to the bathroom with Jazz and Rock by his side.

"I'll call you later," Ryou whispered to the phone.

"Oh, okay," Ohtori said, "I called you from my friend's phone, so if you want to call me later, call my cell phone. It's five, four, six, eight, eight, zero, zero…"

Ryou wrote down the order of numbers and repeated it to the owner. After they gave each other quick words of goodbye, Ryou put the phone and walked to the bathroom. The little boy just done brushing his teeth and Ryou smiled as he walked in, "Have you washed your feet?"

"Nope," Ryouta answered. He jumped from his little chair in front of the wash stand and went on his way to the shower, removed his furry slipper and Ryou helped him open the tap. Ryou washed the little feet with warm water and used his fingers to scrub the dirt off from the small soles, made Ryouta laughed at the ticklish feeling his uncle's fingers made.

"It's ticklish, Ryou-nii! It's really is!!" Ryouta laughed till he felt he can't breathe anymore. Ryou also laughed. He was done but then he moved his hands to Ryouta's waist, tickling Ryouta there more, "Here, here, here!!! Tickle Attack!!"

The little boy's cracked up and laughed loudly, "Stop it!!! Ryou-nii!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Jazz and Rock barked happily while running around Ryou and Ryouta. Ryou also laughed, and he ended then tickles with a tight embrace around his nephew's waist, "Ryouta, you're Ryou-nii's greatest treasure ever. Do you know that?"

Ryouta fell silence before nodded slowly, "Mmm," The little boy received a soft kiss on his side of head from his uncle, before they both stood up and went upstairs with Jazz and Rock behind them. Ryou walked with Ryouta to his bedroom, and helped the little boy pull up his blanket.

"Good night, Ryou-nii," Ryouta said softly. Ryou smiled and bend down, peck softly on his nephew's forehead. He mumbled quietly on the skin, "Good night,"

Ryou stood up from the bed and walked to the door. He flicked off the lamp and just opened the door when Ryouta called, "Ryou-nii?"

"Hm?"

"I love you,"

"Me too," Ryou smiled. Then he ordered the twin dogs who was sitting on Ryouta's bed, "Jazz, Rock, out, now," Jazz gave Ryouta a soft bark before both obeyed and jumped out from the bed, and followed Ryou out.

The young man almost ran to the phone, grabbed the black device and quickly pressed the buttons of numbers that was in note. He waited impatiently for Ohtori to pick up the call, and fortunately, Ohtori didn't make him wait for long.

"So, Ohtori," Ryou felt his heart thumped hard, "What's your idea?"

_OxOxOxOx_

_Okay. So, I'm gonna cut it here :D_

_As usual, reviews are greatly appreciated :)_


	5. Amore

**Oh, I'm so sorry for such a late update D: Please enjoy this with all your might :D**

**Once again, I don't own Shishido Ryou and Ohtori Choutarou in this fic. Those two cute beings belong to Konomi Takeshi-sensei. I only own Shishido Ryoutarou and the plot XDDDD **

**5****th**** Chapter**

No one said to him that making a proper omelet was so difficult. Well, whatever, his egg didn't look that bad. It was burned black on the side, but it's still eatable. Ryou sighed, somewhat satisfied with himself. His kitchen's stove and oven had been only a decoration for such a long time, and it's really the first time he ever tried making something with them.

The young man huffed. Carefully he closed the lunch box and wrapped it with a cloth. This one also kind of difficult, and the wrap was ended up being a little bit awkward, but it's not really a pollution for eyesight so he thought it's all okay.

Now that he already woke up a lot earlier than usual (Because he afraid he'll ended up fail and so he will had times to cook something new –always a good planner, Ryou), maybe he will put up a special breakfast too. Usually he and Ryouta ate cereal for breakfast, or just simple toast with jam or even just a big glass of milk. Only imagining egg in his head made him wanted to puke, so Ryou took his car key, and quickly walk down to buy some healthy and nice breakfast, for both him and his dear nephew.

oxoxoxox

Ryouta woke up, and the little boy sniffed with his little nose all way down from his bedroom's door to the kitchen. Jazz greeted the little boy with a lick on his feet, and Ryouta widened his eyes when he saw the dining table was full with fresh roasted bacon, some really tasty-looked sunny eggs and fat sausages on a big plate, along with a big bowl of fresh garden salad. A giant pitcher filled with bright colored orange juice, and two glasses were ready beside it. They all smelled –and looked –so good, Ryouta quickly found himself grew really hungry.

"Ah, you've woke up!" Ryou appeared from under the table.

Ryouta blinked, "What are you doing there, Ryou-nii?"

"The fork fell," Ryou grinned, showed his nephew a small fork, "Now that you already woke up, let's eat the breakfast together! I'm starving with all the egg issues,"

"Egg issues?" Ryouta confused –he didn't have time to ask, because quickly, he found his arm being grabbed by his uncle, he being seated on one of the chairs, then Ryou did a little run to sit facing his nephew.

"Let's eaaat!" Ryou said happily, "Itadakimasu!!"

Ryouta still felt so confused, but not wasting time. He began to eat. All the foods were so delicious. If his uncle was the one who made these by himself, sure he won't mind his uncle to cook more.

"Ah, Ryouta," Ryou smiled. Ryouta stopped his fork on its way down to stab the sausage and looked up, "Yes, Ryou-nii?"

"Wait," Ryou got up, he walked to the kitchen set and brought something with him when he was back to the table. The young man gave it to his nephew and smiled, "Yours,"

Ryouta blinked at the sight of that thing. That's a lunch box, wrapped neatly in a cloth. He received it and felt his eyes hot, "B-But… I never…"

"Ohtori-sensei told me," Ryou said softly, "Ryouta, I know that you don't let me know because you think I'm busy and I won't ever make you one, but…" Ryou gripped the small hands tightly, and he looked the big eyes of Ryouta warmly, "I will do anything, even when I'm so busy I don't have even a second to sleep… if it's for you, my dear nephew, I will do anything,"

Ryouta began to sob, "R-Ryou-nii…"

"Here, here," Ryou grinned, "Let me hug you,"

Ryouta ran to hug his uncle tightly, burst out to Ryou's black sweter, "I'M SORRY, RYOU-NII!!!"

"It's okay," Ryou smiled. He felt his eyes began to water, "I'm okay. It's good that you know…"

Ryouta sobbed, "B-Because… I don't want to burden Ryou-nii… A-And I… I afraid that if you cook me the bentou, the taste will be so bad… B-Because I never see you cook beforeee…"

Ryou blinked then pouted, "Okay. Then you don't need this bentou?" Ryou moved his hand to take the bentou back, but Ryouta grabbed it and hugged it securely on his chest, "I will eat it!!! I will eat it!! No matter how bad the taste, it's a bentou that Ryou-nii already made for me…" Ryouta smiled widely, "I promise I will eat it till the very last rice grain!"

Ryou grinned back, felt so proud and warm in his chest. He hugged the small boy once again before exclaimed loudly, "Okay, enough of the talking! Eat the breakfast till only the plate left, then go take a bath, wear your best clothes and I will drive you to your school! Okay?"

"Okay!" Ryouta jumped excitedly and did as his uncle order him to do. Ryou huffed, a smile in his lips. Ohtori-sensei's plans worked out very well. He had to thank the young teacher later…

OxOxOxOxO

"Sensei sensei looook! Ryou-nii made me a bentouu!!"

Ohtori smiled as Ryouta showed him the bentou his uncle made for him and the teacher looked up to smile at Ryou, "That's nice,"

Ryou felt his cheek flushed as he grinned, "Yeah. Thanks to you,"

Ohtori smiled. He stroked Ryouta's hair, "That's really nice, right? So next time, you don't have to hide anything from your uncle, okay, Ryouta?"

Ryouta smiled with blush on his cheeks and he grinned, nodded his head. He said happily as ran into his class, "I will show it to Kei-chan and Mimi-chaaan!"

Ohtori and Ryou both staring at the happy little boy with smile on their faces. Ohtori was the one who started the conversation, "What did you make?"

"E-Eh?" Ryou blinked.

Ohtori smiled, "For the bentou?"

"I-I…" Ryou scratched his head, "Mm. I packed him rice and omelet, also fried sausages, nuggets and nori… And instant potato salad," Ryou blushed, "I-It's really not a nice bentou or something…"

"It's okay," Ohtori chuckled, "The most important thing is the love and the hard work you put on the dishes while making it. I bet it must be taste so delicious,"

"You bet?" Ryou huffed, his cheeks still red, "Better not. I'm so sorry for Ryouta. Well, even though I don't know if it will be delicious or not, but I think it's still eatable…"

Ohtori laughed and Ryou decided he really liked the sound. He smiled to himself.

"Won't you be late for your work, Shishido-san?" Ohtori asked softly, and Ryou blinked. He stared at his wristwatch and hissed, "Ah, shit. Yes…" He looked up to give the young teacher a grin, "Okay. I guess I will leave now…"

Ohtori smiled, "Okay,"

"Ah, please take care of Ryouta," Ryou said seriously, "I mean, I don't want him to get hurt and… are you sure all the dogs in the dog breeding are all tame? Or that they're all healthy? Ah, then… there aren't any weird insects in the garden right?"

Ohtori laughed, "Don't worry, Shishido-san. I'll keep my eyes on Ryouta,"

"T-Thanks," Ryou gulped. Ryou called for his nephew, "Ryouta~!"

Ryouta came with a happy smile on his face and he asked, "You will leave now, Ryou-nii?"

"Yes," Ryou answered, gave his nephew's head a soft pat, "Be a good kid, okay? And…" Ryou bit his lip, "Don't be reckless, don't run because you can fell, don't touch weird things…"

Ryouta laughed, "You don't have to worry, Ryou-nii!" The little boy hugged Ohtori's arm, "Ohtori-sensei will take care of me, right sensei?"

Ohtori smiled, "Of course I will. You don't have to be that worried, Shishido-san,"

"But…"

"Won't you late for your work, Ryou-nii?" Ryouta grinned.

"Ah, right!!!" Ryou widened his eyes. After gave his nephew a peck on his forehead, he rushed back to his car. The young man still yelled some warning words as his car disappeared as a tiny black dot, and Ryou stared at his teacher, both grinned at the young man's act.

oxoxoxox

Ryouta never had so much fun in one day. The dogs in dog breeding were all so cute, with their fluffy tails and ears and the way they licked playfully at you. All were so tame and the children can play with them. After that, they went to farm and they saw so many animals they never seen directly before. The cows were really so big, and the kind mister farmer let them try how to milking the cows.

They had lunch in a large flower bed at the back of the farm, full of blooming and colorful flowers and Ryouta squeaked in delight at the sight. The flowers were all so pretty, and even though all the children had been told to not pick the flowers, Ryouta couldn't urge his wants to pick some of them and showed them to his Ryou-nii. His hand just moved to one very beautiful, vivid colored tulip…

"Ryouta,"

Ryouta looked up and grinned sheepishly at his sensei. Ohtori-sensei smiled, "You know you shouldn't pick them,"

"I want to show them to Ryou-nii," Ryouta furrowed his eyebrow, "I want to…"

"You can just come here with Ryou-nii any time else, right?" Ohtori-sensei smiled, "This farm doesn't really open for public, but the owner never mind when someone visit,"

"Mm," Ryouta hummed and smiled, "I will tell him to take me here on the weekend!"

Ohtori smiled, "Now, don't you want to see what kind of bentou your uncle made for you?"

Ryouta's eyes glittered and he yelled, "Oh, right!" The boys took the lunch box from his bag and opened the cloth wrapper quickly. Soon after that, the contents revealed –it's exactly like what Shishido had told to Ohtori –sausages, omelet, nori, nuggets, potato salad –but plus with burning black side on almost every sausages and the nuggets looked like they hadn't cooked long enough.

"Mm," Ryouta bit his lips. He looked at his teacher who just smiled. Ohtori-sense chuckled, "Well,"

"We shall try the omelet first," Ryouta said with his fork ready. Fortunately, the omelet was good –even though it was a little burned –but still good enough to fill Ryouta's small stomach. The rice was almost like porridge, but Ryouta still could eat that too.

"What's important is… your uncle tried to you," Ohtori said. He smiled, tried to not laugh, as his hands stroked Ryouta's head softly. Ryouta himself wanted to laugh so hard, and he did so.

"I afraid what he will bring for me tomorrow," Ryouta still laughed, "But sensei…" Ryouta looked up to stared deeply on his sensei's eyes, "I love Ryou-nii so much,"

Ohtori smiled warmly. He hugged the little boy and said, "I know. You're such a good boy,"

oxoxoxoxox

"Argh,"

Ohtori chuckled as Shishido bashed his head with Ryouta's report book.

"So the bentou is a mess, right?"

Ryouta laughed with his teacher. He hugged his uncle, "It's okay, Ryou-nii, after all, the potato salad still tasted good,"

"It's instant!" Ryou cried, "I only poured water on it and baked it,"

"Well, after all," Ohtori added, "_You_ baked it,"

Ryou pouted.

"Ah, Ryou-nii!" Ryouta said excitedly, "Since the nugget couldn't be eaten, Ohtori-sensei gave me his handmade croquette and it tasted so good! Maybe you can learn how to cook from Ohtori-sensei!"

Ohtori widened his eyes and Ryou too –for different reason. Ryou seemed so excited about his nephew's little idea.

"RIGHT!" Ryou looked at Ohtori, "There's still two days left! I can make a really good bentou for Ryouta if you can teach me!"

Ohtori blinked, "Well…" He smiled, "I can… But the problem here is, can you, Shishido-san?"

"Ah right…" Ryouta bowed sadly, "You always come home kinda late…"

Ryou frowned before yelled, "No, I can come home sooner! Maybe I'll have to bring works to home but I think I can managed it,"

"Really, Ryou-nii??" Ryou jumped around his uncle's body happily, "Really, really??" Ryouta moved to his teacher, "You really can too, sensei??"

"Mm," Ohtori smiled, "But only after 3 and before 8,"

"Okay!!!!" Both Shishido exclaimed.

"Then, we will start tonight!!" Ryou said passionately.

"I can manage that," Ohtori smiled.

"YEEEY!!! OHTORI-SENSEI IS GOING TO COME OVER TO MY HOUSEE!!!" Ryouta yelled happily around the adults.

Ryou just realized about that fact. And how that fact just made his heart jumped a bit.

**To be continued…**

**Reviews greatly appreciated :)**


	6. Liefde

**There were one point time on my life when I kinda stopped writing completely for reason that's unknown for myself (Or I forgotten about), and now I'm picking it again a little by little. Here's the sixth chapter of Lot of Love after a very long time!**

**Prince of Tennis and all the characters belongs to Konomi Takeshi.**

**6****th**** Chapter**

His sudden urge to clean kitchen and Recreation Room had nothing to do with the fact that Ohtori will arrived at his house in 1 hour. Ryou just felt that he need to… prepare, since it's rare that they got a guest in their house.

Yeah, and the fact that he bought a strawberry cake on their way home from school, it's also had nothing to do with it. Ryouta loved cakes, and since they will have a guest in their house… and once again, remembering that it was a very rare event, he decided to buy something that they can eat while they're drinking a cup of tea.

Oh no, of course the reason why he suddenly bought tea in the supermarket despite he never like to drink any also not because Ohtori is going to be here, in his house… in… 59 minutes. That's not the reason at all!

"Ryou-nii, ghis gake iss huber delichious!" Ryouta squealed happily, with mouth full of cake, from behind the dinner table. The little boy was holding a small fork in his right hand with area around his mouth full of cream and strawberry jams. Ryou laughed, took a napkin from the corner of the table and used it to wipe his nephew's mouth. He then kissed his nephew's forehead lovingly, and pinched the chubby cheek before said, "Don't eat all of them. Left some for Ohtori-sensei,"

"Of course!" Ryouta smiled,"I want Ohtori-sensei to taste this delicious cake too!"

"Yeah…" Ryou looked around, then to the clock hung on the wall just right above the kitchen set, "He supposed to arrive here… in… 57 minutes…"

"He will come! Ohtori-sensei never broke his promise!" Ryouta said cheerfully, "When Ohtori-sensei promised us candies or books… he never forgot to bring it to school!"

Ryou smiled. He pulled a chair just in front of his nephew, and took a seat there. Staring at his dearest nephew, Ryou said with a grin, "He indeed looks very nice,"

"I love Ohtori-sensei as much as I love Ryou-nii!" Ryouta said with wide eyes, full with happiness, "Ohtori-sensei is so kind, he's so good at anything! He can draw, he can play piano well, he's good with the dough and crafts, and we always love it when Ohtori-sensei is telling us a story! He's really good at changing his voice…!"

"Well, those are the things you love about Ohtori-sensei…" Ryou nodded, "Then, what do you love about me, your uncle?" Ryou asked playfully.

"I love everything about Ryou-nii!" Ryouta said with a huge smile in his face, "I love Ryou-nii's tickles, I love Ryou-nii's lullaby, I even love Ryou-nii's bentou!" The little boy ended his sentence with a small giggles.

"Hey, hey…" Ryou frowned, then he ran out from his chair to reached for his nephew and exclaimed while laughing, "Tickle attack then!"

Ryouta laughed very loud cause of his uncle's fingers on his hips, even succeed crack up some tears. The tickling ended up being a playful battle of wrestling, and suddenly Jazz and Rock were joining in too, creating a big mess around the room. The pillows flied all over, the magazines and books scattered around the carpeted floor.

When the doorbell rang, Ryou was having Ryouta on his back, his little hands around the adult man's neck, trying to climb up upon his uncle. Still in that position because Ryouta won't let go, Ryou opened the door and found Ohtori was standing in front of it, a sweet smile on his lips just like usual.

Ryou didn't understand if it's just because he's in such a good mood, or because he just so happy that Ohtori really came, he found himself said, "Hey Ohtori! Wanna join us?"

The teacher laughed, "Well, it seems really interesting and… it was quite a fiery fight there…"

"Sensei!" Ryouta cheered from behind Ryou's back, "You're here!" The little boy jumped and ran to his teacher, hugged the man tightly. Ohtori laughed, kneeled to hugged Ryouta back. The tall man was a bit surprised when he heard a very loud barking sounds getting closer, along with loud thumphs of big paws running over the wooden floor all through from kitchen to the front door. His smiled was back immediately as he saw the cute –but huge –figures of the twin dogs Jazz and Rock. Still got Ryouta attached on his hand and as he stroked the dogs' furry foreheads, he looked up to Ryou and said, "Am I… too early?"

"Aaah, noo!" Ryou quickly answered, embarrassed for unknown reason. Because the sight around of him was so dark (It's already half to 7 PM), Choutarou looked… shiny, with his white hair and white sweater… And he looked… nice. Yeah, nice, even nicer than usual. Ryou grinned, "It's okay. I'm… really had nothing to do because I just finished today's work. It's a good thing that you came early, before I fell asleep," Ryou said as he walked in to the house, and letting Ohtori to came in too.

The teacher looked around, and Ryou could see an adorement in the brown eyes. Well, after all, this house he and Ryouta was lived in was indeed a very fine one –it's not just it's big, the architectural design was a very luxurious one. The entire floor and some wall parts were wooden, when the rest was dominated with white and black in color. The house got a black sofa with small coffee table for quick guest after the front door, and if you stepped more in, there's the Recreation room. It was kind of really wide hall, with big flat screen TV with amazing sound system, big comfy sofa with a lot of pillows, Ryou's billiard table, and the grand piano on the furry carpets. A bit behind the TV, there's a bar and dinner table. The kitchen was so small, since Ryou never used it that much.

"Ah, is it okay to put my coat here?" Ohtori was mentioning the front sofa.

"Oh, just give it to me!" Ryou grinned. Ohtori smiled, gave his coat to the house owner. They walked in with Jazz and Rock, also Ryouta along their side. Ryou hung the coat inside the coat closet, and tried to calming down his self. He gulped. The man actually was very nervous right now. This is so strange –he met Koreans, Africans, proud and annoying Englishmen, very lack of seriousness Italians and Spainiards, a lot of people from all over the world and all kind of people with various personalities in his works, and he never felt this nervous before… But this single kindergarten teacher stood in front of him could even make him a little bit frozen in his feet.

"Sensei! I'll show you Blues and Pinky!" Ryouta jumped around his teacher, and quickly the little fingers wrapped around the long ones, tugged them softly.

Ohtori laughed, "Ah, your rabbits? Of course!"

Ryou looked to the pair and grinned, relieved, "Well, okay then, I will prepare the tea and anything, and… two of you go to the rabbits. How's that sound?"

"Okay," Ohtori smiled. He walked away with Ryouta to the giant cage for the rabbits they got just on the corner of the room. Ryou moved slowly to the kitchen. Ryou had a very nervous moment with the tea leaves and hot water, and finally managed to make a fine cup of tea. He cut a slice of cake carefully, putting it softly on the plate.

"The tea is done!" He said. Ohtori looked up from the rabbits, along with Ryouta who was then said cheerfully, "Ah, sensei! Try the cake! It's really good! It's really really realllyyy delicious!"

"Okay, I'll try it then!" Ohtori smiled. They walked hand in hand to the kitchen. Ohtori took a seat, with both the Shishidos sat in front of him. He chuckled at how they both resembled each other so much –the messy-spiky brown hair, dark blue eyes, and a bit tanned skin… and the way they're staring at him with so much hope in the eyes. Ohtori tried the cake, and savored the sweet along with delicious sour taste from the strawberry in his tongue. He smiled, "It's really delicious!"

The uncle-nephew pair, at exact the same second, grinned. Ohtori laughed at that –it's really funny when you watched it like this! Ryouta began to yell happily, "It's delicious right, sensei?! I really like it too! Ryou-nii rarely brought any cake home, and…"

Ryou quickly reached and covered the little boy's mouth, (Ryouta struggled, tried to get out from the arm lock, yelling a muffled "Lemme go, Ryou-nii!) then he said quickly with reddening face, "A-Ah, I think we should move quickly to the cooking! R-right, Ohtori?"

"Hmm~" Ohtori smiled, thinking to himself, then chuckled, "I think we should be relax and just take our time… I'm really enjoying this cake you rarely brought home, Shishido-san!"

Ryou blinked and blushed, and that's when Ryouta succeed in getting himself off from his uncle, and started his honest rambling, "Ryou-nii really never brought any cake home all of these time, let alone with strawberries in it, sensei! Ryouta usually only taste it in restaurant… even if it's birthday, we usually enjoyed ice cream, not cake! Ryouta really happy when Ryou-nii bought cake on our way home! He also bought tea leaves and as we arrived at home…"

"Okay, that's just enough," Ryou hugged his nephew. He grinned as he brought his face closer to the small boy's, kissed the cheeks lovingly and said, "Or should I do the tickle attack?"

"AAAH, NO! Not the tickle attack!" Ryouta laughed a lot, even before Ryou did any tickling. Ohtori smiled, and ate the cake more. He finished it quick, as it was so delicious and he really wanted more after every single bite. As he finished, he bowed his head a little, joined his hand as if he wanted to pray, and said softly, "Thank you for the food,"

The teacher's voice made the duet brunette looked up from their fiery tickle-attack-threat play, and Ryou grinned, "So… we're off to do some cooking?"

"Ah, yes, we can," Ohtori smiled, "Just let me take some sips from this tea you rarely buy before, Shishido-san,"

"Aw, come on… enough with the teasing!" Ryou said with red face, "I bought them… the cake and the tea, for you, yeah. Because… I don't think serving Coke for you is… yeah…proper,"

"Why?" Ohtori laughed, "I love Coke,"

Ryou blushed, "W-Well. You really aren't the Coke type… in the appearance…"

"Am I… cake and tea type then?" Ohtori laughed, "I rarely eat cake, though!"

Ryou thought and hummed, "But you drink tea,"

"Well, everyday," Ohtori smiled, "But just the oolong,"

Ryou blushed more, and he stood up, rolling his shirt's long sleeves, "Okay, enough. Shall we begin now?"

Ohtori chuckled, "Okay. Now, have you bought what I told you by message?"

"Oh yeah, ground beef, mushrooms, onions, and all… I have them all already!" Ryou patted the bags of ingredients lay on the kitchen table near the stove, "I hoped I haven't missed a thing… Ah, and the cheese, is it the right one?" Ryou took out a box of block cheese from the paper bag. Ohtori eyed it for a second and read a bit of the labels before smiled, "It's okay, we can use this one."

"We did the shopping together, Ohtori-sensei!" Ryouta said excitedly, suddenly popped his head from behind his uncle. He chirped happily, telling his teacher about his journey to shopping centre, "We found a very big pumpkin, it's orange and so bigggg and there're also a lot of weird shaped vegetables! And they sell octopus and even only the tentacles are so big, I bet only one of the octopus can fill this entire house! There's also this bigggg fish and the uncle that cut it used a very big and sparkly knife!"

"Ah, me too! Everytime sensei went to market, I always found so many unique things too!" Ohtori responded as happily, wide smile on his lips, "And a lot of good food, too! Right?"

"Yes! Ryou-nii bought me a very big grilled squid and taiyaki!" Ryouta grinned, "We had our breakfast on the ramen stall near the market, and the very nice ramen lady gave us extra dumplings!"

"It must be because Ryouta is so cute," Ohtori chuckled, patting softly on his student's head. Ryouta just grinned wider, and Ryou smiled happily.

Ohtori looked back at the other young man, "So, first, let's cut the ingredients for the hamburger!"

"Sensei, Ryouta wants to help too!" Ryouta waved excitedly, while jumping a little on his tiny feet. Ryou was ready to deny the request, since obviously it'll be dangerous to let the boy use knife and they don't have any kid's knife, but Choutarou responded first, and better. He crouched down to talk to the boy, "Now, now, Ryouta, you can help us, but not here!"

"O-oh?" Ryouta blinked curiously, and said with determinate eyes, "Okay! Ryouta will help anywhere!"

"Sensei was actually really wants to watch a movie on this hour, but since he has to teach Ryou-nii, he can't." Ohtori put a sad face, "Can Ryouta watch it instead? Then Ryouta can tell sensei the story!"

Ryouta wrinkled his forehead, pouted, "Help by watching? But it's easy…"

"Ryouta, who said that to do something easy isn't helping?" Ohtori patted Ryouta's head, smiling, "To put the book back to its place on the shelf, to put the trash on the right bin, to give the food to Pink and Blues, are they easy?"

"They are," Ryouta nodded.

"But imagine if you're not doing them. The library will be messed up, the trashes will be everywhere and Pink and Blues will be very hungry!" Ohtori said with wide eyes, as if they're real horror. That caught Ryouta –he thought and nodded, "It… it is."

"So, Ryouta have to tell sensei the story of the movie, okay? It's important to me!"

"It's important…to sensei…" Ryouta mumbled. He then nodded seriously, "Okay, then, Ohtori-sensei! Ryouta will watch the movie and tell sensei the story!"

"Thank you so much!" Ohtori smiled, "If you turn on the TV, it's already begin! Come on, I don't want Ryouta to miss anything!"

Ryouta smiled widely, "Okay! Let's go, Jazz, Rock!"

Ryou was left speechless as Ryouta left the kitchen with the twin dogs. He chuckled, and Ohtori looked at him, smiled curiously, "What's wrong?"

"You're so good at handling children!" Ryou smiled, "So that's what you mean when you told me to put that animation video on the television in the message. I should learn from you. I have lived with him since he's little… littler than now, but sometimes I still don't know how to handle him. But you… he really trust you and all, and you can put yourself on their levels."

"Well, I'm a kindergarten teacher after all." Ohtori smiled, "And I used to taking care of little kids."

"Not just that, you really know how to make them happy, too." Ryou said while both taking out the onions, garlic and mushroom from the bag, "It's your idea to bring Ryouta to shop the ingredients and to do it in the market or shopping centre rather than some shopping mall. It's true, Ryouta was so excited about many things there that I barely can keep up with his excitement. He pulled me to shop after shop and stall after stall."

Ohtori laughed, "And how about you? You're excited too?"

"Well, all the uncles and aunties who own the shop were so nice to us." Ryou grinned, "They gave Ryou sweets, gave us some extras, pinching his cheeks and patting his head, telling him how cute he is. Meat shop old lady even pinched _my_ cheek instead, while complimenting me as 'Such a fine man, to accompany your son shopping like this! I bet your wife is luckiest woman ever!'

Ohtori laughed, "Well, it's important to gain popularity in the shopping centre, really. You can get discount easily and bonuses."

"Well yeah, since I'll learn how to cook from now on, it'll be kinda important." Ryou hummed. Ohtori laughed. The conversation was altered to real cooking study for awhile. Ohtori showed him how to cut the onions so it won't be so painful for their eyes, and how you should squeeze the garlic with the back of knife first before chopping them to let the juice come out easily. They finished the chopping and continue with pan-frying the onions and garlic, along with the chopped mushrooms.

"If the onions turned a bit transparent, and the mushrooms are darkened, it's ready." Ohtori explained, giving the frying pan a little shake. The ingredients hissed, nice aroma spread all over the house, and Ryou feel hungry all of sudden. Ohtori smiled, "After this, we should chill it down and after that, we can do the shaping. We can let Ryouta helped on the shaping part, because it's fun."

"Wow, okay… And while we're waiting for this to chill, what are we going to do?" Ryou blinked.

"We can learn another meal." Ohtori nodded, "Maybe I can tell you how to fry something…more properly."

Ryou blushed, remembering his fail nuggets, "Well, I'm sorry…"

Ohtori laughed, "No, no, I didn't mean to tease you. It's okay, frying is actually more complicated than it looks, after all. We can fry some sausages and this." Ohtori took out something from the plastic bag he brought along with him. It was frozen croquets, put inside a zipper bag.

"Oh, this is your croquets Ryouta was talking about!"

"I made too many yesterday, so I put them in the bag and freeze them. I can give you the rest for next day's bentou." Ohtori said.

"I-Is it okay?" Ryou blinked, "I mean, what you will eat tomorrow?"

"I can make something else." Ohtori smiled, "I cook everyday after all, for me and my roommate. It saved a lot of monthly budget than eating out."

"You have a roommate?" Ryou asked. He decided to ignore the upset throb of his heart when he realized Ohtori maybe have a girlfriend already, and now is living with her. "Is that why you can only be here till before eight? I mean is it because, maybe, your roommate will be worried if you're late or something…"

"Ah, no, that's because something else." Ohtori shook his head. He took out the sausages, and ready to slice them a bit so it can get cooked perfectly from inside too as he looked at Ryou, and laughing at the curious eyes –they're so obvious, just like Ryouta's. This uncle and nephew were so much looked like each other!

"Here, Shishido-san, let's start slicing the sausages like this, and make a plus shaped cut on the end. We will make the octopus shaped sausage."

"Oh, okay…" Ryou nodded. But his eyes were still curious, and Ohtori can't hold his chuckle. So he explained, "I'm also an author for children storybook."

Ryou's eyes grew wide –hands still cutting obediently on the edge of the sausage while asked, "R-Really? You're making the story? Or the one who draw for them?"

"Both." Ohtori smiled, again chuckled on Ryou's excitement. It's really too much like Ryouta's excited eyes and expression every time the boy's going to learn new song, or Ohtori said he will tell the class a storybook. "So it's not like it's fixed that I have to leave on eight, but usually I started my work for the storybook at these times. Three hours of working for the book, because I can't sleep late. I have to teach children, so I can't have lack of sleep."

"You're such a great person." Ryou blinked, "I mean you're good at handling children, and you're cooking too, Ryou said you play piano well and also skilled on handcrafts. Now you're drawing and write story too… How can you be this perfect?"

Ohtori laughed while moving the bowl of chilled mixed onions, garlic and mushrooms to the fridge to chill it even more, "No, Shishido-san, that's exaggerating. If someone is perfect, isn't it's you? You have a great job on such a young age that you can afford a house this big, and you got a really cute nephew."

"W-well…" Ryou actually flushed a little. He grinned, "I guess then, we both have our own perfectness. But you have a point ahead, because you're lucky enough to find a girlfriend first!"

Ohtori moved on to heating the oil inside the frying pan, and blinked, "Girlfriend?"

Ryou scratched his cheeks, "Your roommate…?"

"Ah, no, it's not like that." Ohtori laughed, "I just rent the room together. He's my friend from the publishing. But he's a mangaka, so there're a lot of times he can't even get out from behind his table, you know? So I made food for him too."

Ryou sighed in relief. _It's a friend, and a boy, too…_ "Ah, is that so."

"Yes." Ohtori smiled, "From what you said earlier, so you don't have a girlfriend either?"

"Nope, I got my hands full already!" Ryou laughed, "Things with house, works and Ryoutarou… I don't have time for love life."

Ohtori smiled, "I guess you are. You're very busy man."

"Yeah! But if I got one, it'll nice if it's…" _…someone like you. _Ryou blinked, and blushed deeply. What was he thinking? Luckily, he stopped on the right timing. He didn't even plan to say that!

"If it's…?" Ohtori titled his head curiously. Ryou laughed nervously to cover his embarrassment, "N-Nope, I was just talking rubbish. N-now, you're going to teach me how to frying properly, isn't it?"

Ohtori was still confused, but he got along with Ryou. He put the sausages on the hot surface covered with heated oil, and Ryou looked amazed. Ohtori asked, "What is it?"

"Well last time I fried, the oil splattered out and it didn't feel nice on skin," Ryou winced by the memories, "But when you did it, it… didn't go as wild."

"Well, that can be because the heat is too high, or the food is still a bit frozen." Ohtori smiled, "From what I seen on your previous bentou, it can be the first one, because your frying foods are all a bit burned, too. If you cook it slowly with small fire, it can prevent both splattering and too burned food."

Ryou nodded. He smiled, "You're really amazing, after all."

Ohtori smiled back, "Thank you. Especially when frying food like croquets or nugget when you surely want the inside to be cooked too, stay with the small heat, or else, the outside will be burn while the inside is till uncooked."

"Okay!"

"Oh, and I'm thinking that tomorrow, you can bring Ryouta a hamburger, with pasta, fried sausages, and boiled egg. Also boiled vegetables and some fruits."

"That sounds fine for me." Ryou grinned, "Oh by the way, how about omelet instead of boiled egg? It's kind… really giving a bento vibes."

"It's harder than it looks, so we'll have to try it another time." Ohtori smiled, "Let's try to make it tomorrow, you can bring it for Ryouta for the third day, along with croquets and some onigiri."

Ryou remembered about his burnt omelet yesterday and sighed. Then he grinned, "Okay then! Thanks a lot, Ohtori!"

Ohtori nodded, smiling. He walked away from the stove to take a look to the fridge, taking out the fried onions, mushrooms and garlic mix in the bowl, smiling even wider, "I think the onions are chilled enough, let's call Ryouta to do the shaping together!"

xxxx

They ended the cooking session later than expected. Ryou never knew cooking is actually taking this long time. But he's having fun, and he's sure, Ryouta also. The little boy was really excited in shaping the meat dough in his small hands. When they're done, they got three different shapes of hamburger, a clean, perfectly rounded one by Ohtori, a small but actually pretty well-shaped by Ryouta, and lastly, a bit awkwardly shaped one was by Ryou. He didn't believe that Ryouta can do even better job than his, but he didn't actually mind. The frying was a bit more complex –you didn't just fry it, but you have to pour water onto the pan after the both sides turn brown, and let the heated water boiled the meat insides. After the hamburger done, they moved on the boiling the pasta, where Ryouta can help with tasting the tomato sauce and if the pasta was al dente or not. They have a nice dinner with hamburger and pasta, and a bit of frying trial sausages. Ryouta was eating while telling the Ohtori about the movie –Ryou learned that the animation movie was a good one too, it sounded like it filled with magical and fantasy thoughts –bathhouse for Gods, the dragon that can turn to be a boy, the lost girl trying to find its way home... Ohtori, obviously, actually already knew about the story, but responded very well and assuring in every dramatic or cool parts of Ryouta's story _–"Really? What happened then to the girl?" "Oh, no, she really did that? What an awful lady!" "Ah, is that so? Ah, sensei really want to see it too!"_

"It's huberr deligiousss!" Ryouta moved to comment on the food now, after the story was over. His brown eyes were sparkling while his cheek round and puffed; mouth full of delicious meat and pasta.

"Ryouta, come on now, what I always said?" Ryou put a face. Ryouta gulped down, and said sheepishly,  
"Don't speak while chewing… I'm sorry, Ryou-nii."

"As long as you understand." Ryou grinned, ruffled his nephew's hair and responded by an exact grin from the smaller boy.

"It's even more delicious because we made it by ourselves, right?" Ohtori smiled, "Shishido-san, you can do this by yourself tomorrow, right?"

"Of course! I'm so fired up!" Ryou grinned, "Just wait, Ryouta! I will make even more delicious bento! But or at least, as delicious as this!"

"I WILL WAIT, RYOU-NII!"

"UM! JUST YOU SEE!"

Ohtori chuckled. This pair of nephew and uncle was really just too cute. He smiled –he won't get any work for the book done today, as this was already 10 and he'll have to go to bed as soon as he arrived at home, but he didn't really mind. He finished more than he expected yesterday, and the deadline was still far, too. But still, he had to go home soon.

"Okay, let's tidy things up!" Ohtori smiled, "Ryouta will help cleaning too, right?"

"Of course, sensei! Then after that, let's read the story book together!"

Ohtori blinked, and smiled softly, "Well… I'm sorry Ryouta, but sensei have to go home after this."

"Eh? Why?" Ryouta's face grew disappointed. He ran to Ohtori, clutching on the man's arm, "But I haven't showed sensei my favorite book and we haven't played together!"

"Ryouta, sensei has to rest too, right?" Ryou tried to help, patting on his nephew's head, "You can meet him tomorrow and play with him."

Ryouta pouted, "But…"

"I'm sorry, ne? Tomorrow, we will play together, I promise!" Ohtori smiled, "Ryouta should rest too, tomorrow we will go to the park! We can see deer, riding a small boat on the lake, and harvesting strawberries. You got to have a lot of energies for that, right?"

Unlike usual, the boy was pouting even deeper instead of following. Then he looked up to both adults, eyes sparkling, "I know! Sensei should just sleep here for a night!"

Ohtori grew confused, "E-Eh…" He smiled, tried to compromise, "But sensei didn't bring any clothes, and didn't bring his toothbrushes too… We can't sleep without brushing our teeth first, remember?"

"Sensei can use Ryouta's!" Ryouta urged, and now, he even hugged Ohtori's arm, showing no sign of letting go, "I don't want Ohtori-sensei to go home!"

Ryou and Ohtori exchanged confused look. Ryouta used to be so mature and understanding even though he's just six, but for unknown reason, he began to show his childish stubbornness now.

"Ryouta, you make Ohtori-sensei troubled, you see? You can't do this to him, especially after he went helping us like this." Ryou tugged on Ryouta's shoulder, putting a stern face.

Ryouta bowed down his head, still pouting. He still holding on the edge of Ohtori's sweater sleeve tightly, but the grip on the arm loosened, though.

"Ryouta, we will meet tomorrow, okay?" Ohtori smiled, but Ryouta still looked unhappy. The adults looked at each other once again. Ryou scratched his head, and sighed, "Okay, how about at least, we drive Ohtori-sensei home?"

The idea gave light to the little boy's round eyes, and he looked up to his uncle, "Can we? Can we, Ryou-nii?" His cheeks were flushed by excitement, and he jumped cheerfully when Ryou nodded, "YAY! YAY! WE CAN DRIVE OHTORI-SENSEI HOME!" Ryouta was so happy because at least, he can be with his favorite sensei at least on the trip, inside the car. He looked at his teacher, smiling wide and happy, "This way, I can be with sensei longer! Yayyy!"

"Eh, b-but… that's no need…" Ohtori stuttered, but Ryou grinned at him, patted on his shoulder, "It's okay! I make you go home this late too, I don't mind at all!"

"Please, Ohtori-sensei?" Ryouta looked at him with big, round eyes full of hopes. Choutarou just can't say no to the eyes, so he sighed, and smiled while pinching Ryouta's nose softly, "Okay then, you naughty boy."

"Hehehe!" Ryouta grinned. He pulled on his teacher's hand, "Come on, sensei! Hurry! The car is just outside!"

"You don't want him to leave just now, but now you want him to hurry?" Ryou shook his head, laughing, "This weird boy."

Ohtori laughed on Ryouta's hyper excitement, but then he looked back as he remember he left something on the room, "Ah, my coat –"

"I'll bring this for you," Ryou smiled, holding the brown leather coat on his hand. Ohtori smiled back, before he was pulled by Ryouta to quickly get on to the car.

xxxx

Ryouta didn't want to let go of Ohtori, so Ryou was left alone on the front seat, driving. Ohtori was upset about this, saying with worried look, "I'm sorry, Shishido-san, you have to sit in the front like this…"

"What are you talking about, if one has to say sorry, it's me!" Ryou laughed, "I'm sorry for troubling you till this late. I'm actually thankful I can drive you home, at least it can express my gratitude."

"Okay." Ohtori smiled.

Ryouta asked, "Sensei, where do you live? Do you live alone?"

"Ah, it's not far, it's near the shopping center. I live with a friend from work." Ohtori smiled, "He draw very well, and he's making a manga right now."

"A mangaka? So cool! Can I get his sign?"

"Sure, I can ask it for you!"

"Eh, if sensei's house is near shopping center, maybe we actually passed it when we went shopping just this noon!"

"Oh, maybe! You can visit another day if you want to. I will make pudding for Ryouta."

"WAH, REALLY?" Ryouta forwarded his body, "Ryou-nii, we can go to sensei's house, he said! Sensei will make me a pudding! Ne, sensei, Ryou-nii can come too, right?"

"Sure." Ohtori laughed, "We can cook the pudding together like today."

"Ah, right! It'll be very nice!" Ryouta sat again. Ryou just laughed by the very noisy conversation from the first they get onto the car, and ready for another loud chatter from his nephew, but what he heard after was instead a regular, soft breath.

Ryou took a look from the front mirror, chuckled, "He's sleeping?"

"Yes." Ohtori smiled. Ryouta just put his head on his sensei's laps, and he went sleep in instant. The long fingers caressing the brown messy hair lovingly and Ryouta smiled wider in his sleep.

"He really loves you." Ryou laughed.

"It's the first time any student gets this attached to me," Ohtori smiled.

"Ah, sorry, he must be troubling you a lot… " Ryou apologized.

"No, I'm actually very happy," Ryou could just _hear_ Ohtori's smile from where he sat. He smiled too –his chest felt very warm. He actually… didn't regret it at all that they ended have to drive Ohtori back home. He even wished this trip will be a bit longer. Having Ohtori just there, behind the seat… It's very peaceful. Ohtori gave out this warm, peaceful feeling around him. His silvery white hair, his calm demeanor, his smiling brown eyes, his soft smile on his lips…

"We can hang out again, sometimes." Ryou suddenly found himself speaking that. He was a bit surprised, but he didn't deny it –he indeed want to hang out more. Something feels really nice about this teacher that he didn't mind at all to get along with.

"…Sure."

He wondered about that leap of time before the answer. He thought about it awhile, and it's harder because he can't really see Ohtori's expression while he's answering that little 'sure'.

"I-I mean, if you don't really mind… I know you must be very busy, with two jobs and all…"

Ohtori answered rather quickly, as if he didn't want Ryou to misunderstand, "Ah, it's not like that I mind! I mean… If we both have free time, we can… go. If you want to…"

"Of course I want to, I'm the one who ask you out first!" Ryou laughed. He's actually relieved. So it's not like Ohtori rejected the idea. Maybe he just as surprised as Ryou.

He heard Ohtori chuckled, "Um, yes."

He really hoped he drive to wrong turn or something so he can keep this a little longer. But unfortunately, Ohtori was keeping him up very well with the road, so they arrived safely and quickly. Ohtori had to wake Ryouta, because the boy was sleeping on his lap, but the unlike before, the boy wasn't as sad to let his teacher go. He pouted a bit while rubbing his eyes, but then grinned as he looked up, "Tomorrow then, sensei!"

"Um, of course!"

"Bye bye!"

"Bye! Drive safely, okay!"

Ryouta moved to front seat. Ryou smiled, waved his hand from behind Ryouta, and Ohtori smiled back.

The teacher walked up the stair, apparently his room was in the second floor. Ryou was waiting, hoping a little in his heart that Ohtori's key was left on Shishido's residence or something, so they just have to go back again and then go back here again, but no such luck. Ohtori opened the door of his room successfully, giving him last wave and smile before entering.

So he had to drive back. Ryouta grinned, "Ohtori-sensei is so kind, isn't it, Ryou-nii?"

"He is," Ryou smiled.

"Ne, Ryou-nii!"

"Hum?"

"You remembered that I said to Ryou-nii not to hit on Ohtori-sensei?"

Ryou blushed, "Well, yeah."

"Ryou-nii can forget it!" Ryouta said seriously, "You should just make Ohtori-sensei your lover, after all!"

"W-WHAT?! What are you talking about, Ryouta?!" Ryou blushed even deeper, surprised by his nephew's request.

"Ohtori-sensei is so kind, and I love him so much! He's very good at cooking too! Ryou-nii should go out with sensei so he can live with us, and I can play with sensei everyday!"

He wanted to laugh it off, but in the same time, he can't. It's just… embarrassing to think of it. Though, he didn't know what could be the reason. They're both men. There'll be nothing more to them than friendship.

"Y-You know that we can't do it like that, Ryouta. I should go for a beautiful girl than your teacher, of course." W-What's this? It's like he tried to assure himself too.

Ryouta blinked, and he said sadly, "Is that so? But Ryouta want Ohtori-sensei to live with us… There's no guarantee that any girl can be as kind as Ohtori-sensei, or cook as well as him…"

Ryou almost hit a garbage can after that simple, innocent sentence. Luckily, he can pull it off on the right time. Ryouta screamed, holding on his throbbing chest, "RYOU-NII, THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS!"

"S-Sorry!" Ryou laughed nervously, "Sorry, Ryouta, won't happen anymore." He shook his head, but his mind keep playing a sentence he almost said back then, _I don't have time for girlfriend, but if I got one, it'll be nice if it's someone like you._

**Hope you enjoy this as well! **


	7. Amour

**Adding another chapters, here you go!**

**Prince of Tennis and all its characters belongs to Konomi Takeshi. I took no benefit from this piece of fiction I made.**

**7****th**** Chapter**

Much to Ryou's amusement, the brand new bento was a big success. He woke early, prepared everything and put more attention on every little detail. Like what Ohtori suggested, he kept the fire small. He tied the bento clothes carefully till it was perfectly tied just like in the image he saved from the internet.

Ryouta's eyes were never that sparkly and big as he received it in the morning, on the dining table. And sparkled even more as he saw that Ryou also ordered breakfast again for today, stack of big, delicious looking pancakes with cream, bananas and strawberries, and orange juices. Ryou was told by Ohtori to make, or at last, to buy a proper breakfast everyday.

"Breakfast is important, after all." Ohtori said with smile on the phone, in the middle of their conversation of the bento thing. Ohtori asked what Ryou usually prepare for Ryouta, and he said they only eat breakfast at home –lunch and dinner were usually a take-away, ordered delivery or eating out. And he only prepared cereal for breakfast.

"They're starting meals. Cereal is okay, but varieties will make children happier." Ryou nodded, take a note of it in his mind. He really received a lot of helpful tips even though it's just several days since they met.

The pair of nephew and uncle said 'ITADAKIMASU' loudly and ate heartfully, both ready for the big day –work for Ryou, and the park trip for Ryouta.

"Is the pancake good?"

"YES!" Ryouta nodded, "Ryou-nii, next time, let's buy the breakfast together!"

Ryou grinned, "I'm thinking of making our own breakfast since tomorrow, what do you think?"

Ryouta widened his eyes, "I want to! I want to make my own breakfast!"

"It's decided then!" Ryou offered his nephew a hand, which high-fived back by Ryouta. They laughed, and Ryouta added, "We can ask Ohtori-sensei to teach us!"

Only by the small mention of the name, Ryou felt his cheek grew warm. He nodded, "Um, of course."

XXXX

They're a bit late because they're enjoying their breakfast too much, but they make it on time. At least, the bus was still parked on the school's ground. Ryou was going to be late for work, for sure, maybe fifteen minutes or so, but he didn't want to miss the chance to meet Ohtori and brag about the bento… or just talk.

So instead of sending Ryouta off and drive away for work, he walked with Ryouta to near the bus, where all children were already gathering. His eyes searching for the same person as his nephew, and two pairs of eyes sparkled as they caught the sight of tall man, bowed as he talking to a group of children.

The silver haired man looked up, and smiled by the sight of the pair, "Ah, good morning!"

"SENSEI!" Ryouta quickly ran to him, hugged him (Ryou was envious a bit).

"Good morning, Ryoutarou-kun." Ohtori caressed the head of the boy softly.

A girl with twintail walked to Ryouta, smiling cheerfully, "Ryouta-kun, good morning!"

"Good morning, Mimi-chan!"

Three other boys walked to him too, and one of them said, "There you are! You're late, Ryouta! We don't want our seat to be taken, right?"

"Ah, you're right, Kei!" Ryouta quickly nodded, as if it's a very serious business.

"Come on, we should get the seat on the back!" Another one said, and they ran first into the bus.

"Oh, I want to! Mimi-chan too, let's sit together!" Ryouta held Mimi's hand.

"Um!"

Ryou smiled on the sight –he glad Ryouta make friends just fine.

"Good morning, Shishido-san."

"Morning," Ryou greeted back. His heart throbbed nice and warm. Just like that, only by seeing this man in front of him.

Ohtori smiled, "How's the bento?"

"BIG SUCCES!" Ryou grinned, "Or so I thought. But it's as delicious as the one we made together last night, I'm sure!"

"Great!" Ohtori laughed, "I'm sure it's indeed success. You're not as bad as you thought."

"What, you just never really try my cooking before." Ryou shook his head, "I'm terrible. I can do it just fine because you taught me well."

"I actually try a bit of you previous bento." Ohtori smiled warmly, "It's not that bad, but I think it's because you make it in hurry you're a bit careless. And it's you first time too, right? But anyway, I glad I can help."

_He's indeed very kind_, Ryou thought. He smiled back, "And today… you can come over again?"

"If you need my help, I will." Ohtori answered softly.

"I need!" Ryou said quickly. He laughed, "I'm kinda lost without trial first."

"Alright then."

"Say," Ryou offered with a grin, "Maybe we can shop for the ingredients together… I mean, we can go right after you guys back from the trip. That way, it won't end too late like last night."

"But… Shishido-san, you haven't done your work that early, right?" Ohtori asked.

"I can bring it home again, like yesterday." Ryou grinned, "My office hour isn't really strict."

"If you say so," Ohtori smiled, "But I only can after three, is it okay? I have to stay to lock rooms and a bit of teacher meeting."

"It's okay." Ryou nodded, "Well then, I guess, we'll going to meet again tonight?"

"Sure."

"Great."

Ryou put his hands inside his pockets, didn't know what to converse anymore. Ohtori was just smiling to him. The teacher was obviously going to be there till Ryou leave, but Ryou just didn't want to leave yet.

"So…. where's the botany park?" Ryou finally asked.

"A bit to the mountain, so maybe take a hour or so, but it's so pretty it's worth it. The air is so fresh, too." Ohtori smiled, "They can see many unique trees and flowers, and they can pick the fruits fresh from the trees. There's also lake and deer breeding there, so the children will like it."

Ryou started to worry, "Flowers… They won't be any weird ones, right? Are the fruit trees _safe_? The deer, are they tame? Please take care of Ryouta so he won't –"

"I will." Ohtori chuckled, "You're really worrying too much about your nephew."

Ryou said seriously, "Really, I don't want anything weird happen to him…"

"Ryou-nii, you're not going to work?"

Ryouta was on the bus door, along with some of his friends who follow him, peeking behind the boys' back.

"I will, now." Ryou smiled, "Just make sure of some things. Be careful there, okay, Ryouta?"

Ryouta got off from the bus, grinning, "I will be fine! Ohtori-sensei will keep me safe, right sensei?" The boy held on his teacher's hand, smiling to the young man.

Ohtori nodded, "Of course!"

"Well, I should leave now." Ryou smiled, put his hand on his nephew's head and patted it softly. He smiled to Ohtori, saying, "Okay, I'll leave now, Ohtori-sensei."

"Drive carefully." Ohtori smiled.

Then Ryou crouched down to reach Ryouta, kissed on his nephew's forehead lovingly, "Take care, Ryouta."

Ryouta nodded, wrapped his arm around his uncle's neck and hug him tightly, then let go with a grin.

"Okay then, bye!" Ryou smiled, waved his hand and walked away. It was harder than he thought, because just as he expected he actually want to stay longer, but he pushed himself to. He can't be late for work, really.

He almost reached his car on the parking ground when he heard a call from behind his back, "Ryou-nii!"

Ryou looked back, confused when he saw Ryouta was running after him. He wondered what happened.

"Ryouta? What? You forgot something?" Ryou walked to his nephew.

Ohtori appeared too in the almost same time, catching up with Ryouta who was running after his uncle instead of entering the bus after the goodbye kiss, "Ryouta-kun? What's wrong?"

Ryouta looked at both of them, blinking with round, big eyes towards his uncle, "You're not going to say goodbye to Ohtori-sensei?"

_That is all? _Ryou blinked confusedly, "I was, you didn't hear?"

Ryouta pouted, "But you didn't kiss him."

"W-WHAT?" Ryou blushed furiously. He can tell from the corner of his eyes that Ohtori too, was surprised, and his cheeks grew crimson by the innocent words. Ryou laughed nervously, "No, no, I can't kiss sensei!"

"Why?" Ryouta titled his head, "But Ryou-nii kissed me because he loves me and wants me to have safe trip, right? You loves Ohtori-sensei too, right, Ryou-nii?"

Ryou didn't know what to act, "…T-That's a bit different…"

"So Ryou-nii didn't love Ohtori-sensei?" Ryouta looked sad.

"I-I love him –" WHAT THE HECK HE'S SAYING. He didn't even dare to take a peek of Ohtori's expression anymore. Gah, it's so awkward! This boy, why he has to ask something like this? "I-It's just the love is kinda different, you know?"

"How's it different?" Ryouta was confused.

Ryou didn't know what to answer, and Ohtori cut in the right time, smiling, "Ryouta, let's hurry, or we won't make it on time to the mountain! The strawberries are waiting, you know! Ryouta loves strawberries, right?"

It didn't really succeed. "But Ryou-nii really should kiss Ohtori-sensei first!" Ryouta shook his head and urged, stubbornly. He made a pout on his uncle, "I don't want to go to the bus if you didn't kiss him!"

Really, what's wrong with his nephew recently? He supposed to be a nice boy! Now it's a second time he's acting stubborn like this! Ryou sighed, "See, Ryouta, if you're going to kiss someone, you need the permission from both people, and…" Ryou was going to continue but Ryouta then quickly asked his teacher, "Sensei, is it okay if Ryou-nii kiss sensei, right? Sensei loves Ryou-nii too, after all!"

Ohtori face grew from a define confusion to panicky flushed. The young men looked at each other, exchanging confused look, both faces were heated up. It's very first time for Ryou to see another expression of Ohtori besides the usual smiling, small laughs, and soft teasing. Now he looked a little helpless, and Ryou decided to make the choice.

"Okay, just a small peck is fine, right?" Ryou sighed.

Ryouta grinned, "YES!"

"Really, you!" Ryou sighed. He walked closer to the teacher.

"S-Shishido-san?" Ohtori blushed, "B-but this is…"

"No, it's nothing weird, I'll just do it quick so Ryouta can be satisfied. Is it… okay?" Ryou found himself flushed, too. If you think about it more, it's indeed an embarrassing thing to do.

Ohtori was quiet for a second, but then he nodded. His cheeks were red but he made a small smile on his lips. Ryou wondered at the smile –Ohtori actually didn't look like he's mind at all.

He tiptoed a bit, and Ohtori helped to lower his head. He held Ohtori hands unconsciously, and then he felt Ohtori responded, slipping his slender and long fingers between Ryou's bigger and rougher ones. He couldn't really reach Ohtori's forehead, so he went with cheek.

It's a simple touch, yet he could feel his entire body grew warm from the kiss. Though he planned to just make it quick, his lips lingering longer than he planned, and he breathed softly before pulled away. His heart was throbbing loudly. He just had to hold his own urge to do it again as he saw that Ohtori was closing his eyes the entire time. Ohtori felt the warmness gone from his cheek so he opened his eyes again slowly. The silverfish eyelashes fluttered open to reveal the warm chocolate brown orbs behind the lids, and he smiled sheepishly.

Ryou didn't know what to respond, so he decided to look away to his grinning nephew instead, "There, you satisfied?" Ryou put his hands on his waist, making a face to his nephew.

"This way, we both will be safe in the trip!" Ryouta said cheerfully, "Ryou-nii said that kiss has its own charm!"

Ryou and Ohtori looked at each other on Ryouta's words, before smiling to the boy. So that's why…

"Yeah, sure." Ryou laughed, "You both will be arrived safely to the destination and arrived back safely here too!"

"UN!" Ryouta nodded, holding on his teacher's hand, "Come on, sensei, now we can pick strawberries with assure!"

"Okay!" Ohtori laughed. He bowed down a bit to Ryou, chuckling, "Thanks for the charm, Shishido-san!" before leaving hand by hand with the little boy.

Ryou didn't really realize about a smile on his lips that's lingering from the second he got in the car and even till he arrived on his office. He just felt so happy instantly, like he knew his day was going to be totally awesome. He hummed a happy song he heard on the car radio previously –_why he never turned it on before? It actually helped to deal with the traffic jam, and more over, the traffic jam didn't feel as bad as usual today_ –as he greeted his secretary, "Hey, Fuyuka! Good morning!"

His secretary startled, jumped a bit from her position on the chair. She usually have to greet first before Ryou will greet her back, and on most times, he can't even reply because he's too busy with phone or too hurry for getting some work done. She asked Ryou with a nervous look, "S-Shishido-san, are you okay?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Ryou laughed, "Nice new haircut, Fuyuka!"

He even realized that I cut my bangs! Fuyuka was extremely confused now.

"Fuyuka? My schedule?"

"Oh, yes!" Fuyuka was too taken back by the unusual that she even forget about her daily duty to tell her boss his meetings and schedules for the entire day. She opened his notebook and started as she followed his boss entering the office, "On 10, a meeting with Atobe-san, then a lunch meeting with new contractor. Darren Johnson from Bright Gate Financial will come to a casual meeting on the coffee shop with you at 3. And on 6, you got…"

Ryou sat on his comfy chair, tapping his finger on the table, "Okay… Order a deluxe dining room reservation in Velvet Plate for the lunch meeting. I have to go at 3, so tell Darren we have to cancel it today and go tomorrow instead –order a reservation on Dai Ming Duck for tomorrow's lunch, Fuyuka, that guy loves Chinese food."

Fuyuka stopped writing and looked up from her notes, "Y-you have to leave at 3?"

"Something's wrong?" Ryou asked.

"You leave early too yesterday, Shishido-san, I kinda…" Fuyuka trailed.

"Oh yeah, something..." Ryou grinned, "Oh, for the Velvet Plate, reserved another table for six people."

Fuyuka was writing the new request down, but can't help to wonder, "Okay… but… for who?"

"You and your friends. My treat," Ryou smiled.

"S-SHISHIDO-SAN! You don't have to…!" But Fuyuka's eyes were big with happiness, and she bowed down, "Thank you very much!"

"Don't mind." Ryou laughed, "I'll call you if I need something."

"Okay!" Fuyuka smiled and left the office back to her desk. She really wondered what could happen to his boss! It's not like he's a bad guy or anything before, but he never looked this happy right from the morning. He usually always so serious and uptight in the work hour, though he will be relaxed a bit after the office hour is done, buying her cakes or snacks after his dinner with his nephew. But today, he even will treat her and her friends some barbecue for lunch!

"Can it be…" Fuyuka's eyes widened, "…he found a lover?!" She giggled, logged in to her Facebook. She just had to discuss it with other secretaries!

XXXX

"My secretary told me you found a lover."

Ryou just had to gulp down on his coffee quickly because else he would have to spurt it out. It was still hot, though, and he winced on his burned throat, coughing before said with pissed tone at Atobe, "HA? What's this again, Atobe?! I thought we're enough about discussing my private life!"

They supposed to have meeting about work in this creepy office of Atobe. Ryou just didn't get it why the curtain had to be that purple –he liked purple, too, but the dark, tough look one, not the very girlish with flowery pattern like that –and why the hell Atobe seemed to have a scary obsession with all these Roman like, gold color furniture.

"Well, I'm just asking if it's true, or not. Sometimes, secretaries' gossips are something to thought and believed about. They're good at smelling happening news that was unrealized by us, or even, something that ought to happen, and not to be taken easily." Atobe sipped on his own coffee elegantly. He smiled mischievously as he looked at his subordinates, "So, is it true? Is it not? Or… is it going to happen soon?"

"I'm sorry but I didn't find any, and not going to change in the near time." Ryou sighed, tired of all these shits Atobe had been giving him, "Oh God, and here I thought we'll be discussing about serious work matters…"

"Ryou, try to help you with your private life is also part of my job as your boss."

"SINCE WHEN?!" Ryou gritted his teeth, "And NO, I don't need your help!"

Atobe put a hand on his chin, rubbing it while mumbling with his low voice, "If you found a good lover, someone can take care of your house and your nephew and you can concentrate more to your work."

"Even if I have a lover, I'll still make sure I'll be the one who'll drive Ryouta to school, picking him up and eating and playing with him. Maybe you can't just understand this –he's my precious one and only family." Ryou sighed, "And more over, you didn't just take a lover so she can help you with chores, Atobe. That's what you call as a maid."

"I wonder why you won't just hire a nanny to take care of him," Atobe shrugged, "That's what all people do these days."

"And that what make kids like kids recent days." Ryou argued, "It's important to keep him taken care by me, you know! Because his uncle, his family, his first school, his protector and his guardian is _me_, not some… stranger I paid."

Atobe sighed, "Well, another argument then. Girls do better job with kids, Ryou."

"Nope! I can prove this one was just as wrong!" Ryou smiled, "There's one man teacher on Ryouta's school, and he's really good at handling kids! He cooked well, to!"

"Then maybe he's a gay or something."

Ryou frowned, "Okay, I might get angry now, Atobe. He's a really nice guy, Ryouta liked him and I liked him, too. I kinda don't want to hear you badmouthed him when you even haven't met him even once…"

Atobe raised his eyebrow, "Oh? 'Nice guy'? Maybe the one who's gay is you, Ryou."

"I don't really get what can be the useful proposes of this very… rude conversation." Ryou huffed, "If this meeting is really not about work, I think I can get some done in my office instead."

"I don't say I hate gays or anything, Ryou. I'm a bi myself! I prefer cute ones, though." Atobe announced it proudly. Too much information, actually –Ryou didn't care, nor did he want to know. He stood up, sighed, "I'm going to back to my office."

"Ryou, what oresama was trying to say is, if he's a real nice guy and he's into your liking, you should just after him." Atobe grinned, "He must be really good at handling kids if he's a kindergarten teacher. And if he can do cooking properly, he must be good at house chores, too. Your nephew likes him! You will be happy, your nephew will be happy, and I'll be happily received the company economic boost resulted."

"You're an asshole." Ryou just said on his way to the door.

"Not to mention, you can relieve your sexual tension with him, and I'm sure they're going to increase your working passion for good."

Ryou left, closing the door behind him angrily with loud sound. That Atobe, he's a total jerk! He's so creepy, who cares if he's genius from well-respected family that graduated from prestigious school and finished his master degree in Harvard? He must be one of the results of leaving your kids to nannies instead of taking care of them by yourself!

Ohtori truly was not like any usual guys, but it didn't mean that he's gay! He's just a bit soft guy. He knew one of his high school friends who were a bit like Ohtori but actually have a girlfriend. Some of men with artistic talent were like that, it's not weird at all if you think about it –the creativity and sensitivity needed for art, were after all, belongs more to women, while men were obviously more to logics and numbers. Judging someone by something that they're born with was not nice at all!

He looked at his watch –the lunch meeting was still one and half hours to go. Fuyuka must be thought that the meeting was going to be important so she put a lot of space times before another meeting. It's okay, he could work on some delayed reports while waiting for the lunch.

Lunch, huh… Ryou smiled a little. He wondered if Ryouta will like the bento he made… he really put a lot of effort on this one. Thanks to Ohtori, though, he had taught him how to cook all the dishes properly. Remembering about Ohtori reminded him of the kiss this morning, and he grinned on the thought of Ohtori's soft smile and pretty, fluttered eyelashes. They're quiet long that the edge brushed slightly on Ryou's cheek as he brought their face closer this morning. His chest grew warm –this is such a strange feeling, like he could be just floating right now. They're going to meet again tonight, learning for another dish for tomorrow's bento…

_Oh right._ Ryou thought is he should go to book store instead –he could search for some recipes book. He promised Ryouta they will cook their breakfast together by their own tomorrow, and besides, learn to cook some more meal won't be bad, maybe he can cook for their dinner sometimes, instead of eating out like usual. He smiled, decided to walk because the shopping mall was just a few blocks from his office building. It's on the same building area, after all.

"Fuyuka, I'm going to a book store, just for an hour or so. I'll be back before the lunch meeting." Ryou said to his secretary. Fuyuka nodded.

Ryou got off on the first floor by elevator, and walked out. The building area of his office was arranged so nicely with bushes and flowers along the pavement, and there's even a big fountain in front of one of the building. He wondered why he locked up himself on his office all of these times, only out for meeting with his car –going out like this wasn't a bad idea at all, weather was nice today. He wondered if actually something was a bit changed within him. He still took work seriously, but on another hand, he learned to be a bit relaxed…

"I wonder what changes me." Ryou smiled. He walked into the shopping mall that was a bit empty, only by some teenagers who maybe skipped classes, and several families with very small kids, directly headed to the big book and hobby store on the top floor.

His eyes were searching for a sign of cooking book collections, and founded it near the hobby and crafts area. Tons of titles that he thought was what he needed were offered to him: "Cooking for Kitchen Dummies", "Very Basic Cooking You Can Teach to Your Kids", "Go and Conquer the Kitchen! For Beginners in Cooking' and so on. After read some of the contents and struggled with his own thought, he settled with a thick book, collection of recipes from a popular home cooking chef, which cover featured nice pictures of delicious looking breakfasts, bento, dinner, and snacks, (so this one book could be the entire thing he needed) and a book contained 'A Thousand Tutorials and Tips in Cooking!' He knew he had a very skilled tutor teacher already, but if he read some ahead, maybe he could make Ohtori not to have explained so much like yesterday.

He was just on his way to the cashier as he passed on the new books collection shelf. One of them, the biggest one from all the other novels and biographies shown, was a children story book. Its cover filled with beautiful warm and soft colors, featuring a boy with big backpack and a baseball hat sitting on a bench with a happy looking grandma. The boy wore a big grin on his round and freckled face with red nose and obvious bright blush on his cheeks, while the grandma must be the patient and kind one type with her wide and toothless smile. The art was cute, and on the same time, it was beautiful.

The title was printed in golden color and curly fonts, said, 'A Boy Who Searched for God' with smaller ones under the main title: 'and nine other story for heart and soul'. Ryou wondered why his hand move to take the book from the shelf, but the drawing were kinda caught him. He opened the book cover, and then his eye grew wide on the name on the first page: "Story and art by Ohtori Choutarou'.

"SO THIS IS OHTORI'S BOOK!" Ryou said excitedly. Some people in the store looked at him strangely, but he didn't mind them. He quickly went to the children book section, and found total of seven titles by Ohtori. All the arts were so beautiful. One story that settings on the Arabian Desert had a very dreamy cover with purplish night sky with big round moon and a castle made of spices with onions as it domes standing proud before the spices-houses. Pairs of characters, one tall and thin and another was fat and round were showing a naughty grin to the reader. The title was 'Juno, Aglio, and the Spices Country'. One of the cover was filled with so many items, from books to spoons and ribbons and even radio and television, with a girl with big glasses almost buried in them, showing a panic, confused look, titled 'Mimi's Room'. The other ones were all so pretty, some were painted digital, but there's also some that were colored by watercolors or coloring pencils, or both. One of the title contained only broken white and deep brown, drawn with soft pastel.

Ryou smiled. This is just like Ohtori, indeed. Ohtori was always around with children and very great at keeping up with them, so it's just normal that Ohtori could bring up such a dreamy feeling to his artworks like this. As dreamy as children's imaginations! He decided to buy all of them –he sure Ryouta will like them so much too, after all. He will compliment Ohtori about this later, he can't wait.

XXXX

After the lunch meeting was over (The pasta was awesome), he drove directly to Ryoutarou's school, and was just in the right time, because as he done parking his car, the bus stopped in front of the school. Not so long, the school's ground was filled with the kids, still chattering with each other and the teachers, some were waiting for their parents, some were waiting for their parents talked to another parents or to the teacher.

Ryouta looked so happy when he got off from bus, and even happier as Ryou called him, "Ryouta! Here!" while waving his hand to the little boy. His uncle didn't late! Ryouta ran to him, wide grin on his face, "Ryou-nii is on time!"

"Of course!" Ryou smiled. He picked his nephew up and kissed on the cheek, asked, "So, how was the bentou?"

Ryouta's eyes sparkled, "SO DELICIOUS! I can't believe it's really Ryou-nii's handmade!"

"What, that's mean!" Ryou pouted, but then he laughed. Ryouta kissed back on his uncle's cheeks, before pulled away to wave at someone, calling cheerfully, "OHTORI-SENSEI! RYOU-NII IS HERE!"

Ohtori looked up from the group of kids he's talking to and smiled as he waved back. Ryou bowed down his head a little, smiling back.

"Ohtori-sensei and I exchanged some of the meals. I tasted some of sensei's karage, and he ate one of the sausages. He said it's really delicious, too!"

Ryou grinned, "Of course, didn't I say it already? It'll be delicious!" Ryou just realized Ryouta was holding to a plastic bag, and even before he asked, Ryouta already began to tell his uncle, "Oh, Ryou-nii! On the botany park earlier, we can pick as many fruits as we can fit in our basket! I got really many so bring home some! There're strawberries, cherries, and some peaches in here!" The small hands held up the plastic bag filled with fresh fruits, showing the contents to his uncle.

"Oh, nice! It's so great!" Ryou grinned. He nuzzled Ryouta's cheeks with his nose, "We can eat it while watching Discovery Channel!"

"Yes! Oh, and today is the cooking lesson, right? Ohtori-sensei can join us too!"

"Of course." Ryou smiled. He then remembered about the stack of story books on the car, smiling wider, "And I got some presents for you, Ryouta!"

"REALLY? What is it?" Ryouta's eyes grew wide on the word 'presents'.

"They're in the car; you can look at them later!"

Ryouta's eyes sparkled, "YAAAY! I CAN'T WAIT!"

The kids finally went home one by one, still excitedly telling their parents about the earlier trip. Last girl in the group of kids Ohtori was talking while waiting with before was finally got picked up, too. The girl jumped to his mom, holding on the hand and waved, "Bye, Ohtori-sensei! See you tomorrow!"

"Thank you, sensei." Her mother nodded while smiling, which returned with a polite bow by Ohtori. He was just about walk to Ryouta and his uncle, but suddenly, they're already just on their way towards him, too. Ryou had put his nephew down and now was holding on the boy's hand while walking to Ohtori. Both do that twin grinning again as they saw Ohtori looked at them. Ohtori couldn't help but laugh at the sight. He asked Ryouta, "Ryouta-kun, have you told your uncle about the bento?"

Ryouta grinned, "I have! I said it's really delicious!"

Ohtori smiled, "Yes, it's indeed delicious! What an improvement!" He's clapping his hand towards Ryou.

"Thank you!" Ryou felt his cheeks grew a little red but he laughed proudly.

"Ah, about the shopping, we'll do it together like plan?" Ohtori asked. Ryou remembered, "Oh! Yes, if it's okay with you, sensei! You will help with locking the rooms and have to stay on the teacher room till three, right? It won't be so long since it's already half to three… so I thought of waiting for you here instead of us meeting there. Is it okay?"

"I don't mind." Ohtori nodded, "Is it okay to wait? You're not busy…?"

"No, no! I already planned my day off for today!" Ryou smiled.

"That's good then," Ohtori smiled.

"Eh, Ryouta-kun, you're going to shop with Ohtori-sensei?" Mimi suddenly popped out of no where, her curious eyes blinked, "It must be so much fun!"

Ryouta looked so proud and happy as he explained to his friend, "Um! Ohtori-sensei is giving my uncle a cooking lesson! So Ryou-nii can cook a bento for me!"

"Wahh, no wonder you bento looked and tasted so nice today!" Mimi smiled excitedly.

"Mimi-chan can join us too if she wants! We will eat meals that we cooked together!" Ryouta grinned, looking up to his uncle and his teacher, "Can't she?"

"Of course she can," Ryou smiled, "The more, the merrier!"

"Really? I will ask my mom about it!" Mimi smiled happily.

"Ask about what? Are you two going to somewhere interesting?" Kei appeared too from behind Mimi.

"Ah, Kei-kun can join us too!" Ryouta said brightly, "My uncle said, the more, the merrier!"

Ryou started to feel that it was a bit bad idea to say that earlier. Ohtori chuckled on Ryou's confused expression. Curious with the happy conversation, more kids who hadn't left yet were gathering around them, listening to Ryouta speaking excitedly, "Oh, I know! We can all make our bento together for tomorrow! Tomorrow is the last day trip, right? We can stay at my house and sensei will teach us all how to cook! We can do it right, sensei?"

One of the kids, named Ichirou, shouted, "WAAAH! I BET IT'LL BE SO FUN! WE CAN PLAY BASEBALL TOGETHER BEFORE SLEEP!"

"We can do ghost story telling!" Ichirou added with a naughty grin.

"And we'll be cooking together!" Tami's eyes went sparkling, exchanging happy look with Mimi, her best friend.

"We can drink hot chocolate before sleep and staring at the starry night sky together…" One dreamy girl named Hotaru said with a soft sigh, daydreaming about her plan.

"Yes! And we can play with my dogs and rabbits, too!" Ryouta added.

Seven pairs of hopeful and excited eyes –Ryouta, Mimi, Kei, Yuuki, Hotaru, Tami and Ichirou –looked at Ohtori, "Sensei, can we?"

Ohtori smiled, "Shouldn't you ask Ryouta's uncle instead? I'll go if he allows it."

Ryou was a bit startled when those six pairs altered to him now, sparkling even more than before, "RYOUTA'S UNCLE, PLEASE!" The kids were even all bowing down on the same time. Six kids, huh... His house will obviously fit just okay. He's a bit worried about if he can get any work done, but seeing Ryouta's happy expression, he brushed it away –he could put the work off a little later, he'll make it on time just fine. The young man grinned, "Well, I don't mind! Just be sure to ask your parents first!"

The kids were all looking at each other with eyes wide and smiles on the lips, six of them taking breaths on the same time then let it out while said with a very loud and high-spirited voice, "Thank you very much, Ryou-nii!"

Ryou's ears were a bit tingling because the very energetic shout, but looking at how happy Ryouta now –_"Yay, my friends will come over, and we'll cook together with Ohtori-sensei! It's so amazing! I hope everyone is allowed to stay over!" _–he couldn't help but smile wider.

"There'll be a lot of shopping to do." Ohtori chuckled.

Ryou laughed, "You bet!"

**XXXXX**

**I removed the previous 7****th**** chapter. The previous one was made late night and I was very sleepy that I made the plot very weird so I changed it :p I learned that staying late to write isn't really an effective to write a good story for me. **

**Enjoy the story and please do review! I love them!**


	8. Pyara

**Yiha, 8****th**** chapter is here! Please enjoy this!**

**Prince of Tennis and all its character owns by Konomi Takeshi and I made this just for fun.**

**8****th**** chapter**

Some parents doubted about the stay over. Tami's mother, who's the youngest and most easy-going on, let her daughter just like that, along with Mimi's mother who already heard a lot about Ryouta and his uncle from Mimi and Kei's father who's always so energetic and excited about having fun, but the rest weren't as easy to convince.

"He's so young but he already has a kid, don't you worried that maybe it's accidental or something?" Ichirou's father wrinkled his forehead, rubbing his chin, "We can never sure about young men these days, can't we?"

"And he's so handsome too!" Ichirou's mother added, cheeks blushed furiously, "He can be an idol if he wanted too!" Her husband eyed her suspiciously and she quickly added, embarrassed, "I-I mean, maybe it's really accidental! With that handsome face, he might just trap a poor girl to pregnant his son and…"

"But if it's true, doesn't it mean he's responsible about it?" Tami's mother argued.

"You all, Ryouta is his nephew." Mimi's mother, softly try to stop more misunderstanding, "Mimi told me. Ryouta told her that his parents… weren't here, so Shishido-kun takes care of him instead."

"Weren't here… like they're… away for work or something?" Hotaru's mother was curious.

"I'm not really sure myself. I asked about that too, but that's what Mimi said Ryouta used to describe them, they're… _not here_." Mimi's mother trailed off.

The parents were getting more confused. Kei's father looked around at his discouraged friends and laughed with loud voice, "Now you see, there're a lot about him that we haven't known about! There's a saying like this, isn't it? You can't love someone you don't know! We can talk with him and ask about his job and all to make sure he's indeed trustworthy!"

They agreed, because it's worth a try. They're a bit curious too, after all, about Ryou. He never talked with them before and they just seen him several times when he didn't late to pick up Ryouta. The parents let the kids continued their hide and seek play, while they would 'interrogate' Ryou a bit.

Ryou was standing with his back leaned to the wall, coat taken off, folded and held around his arm, and was busy replying to some work-related e-mails on his smart phone when he saw the group of parents were walking to him. There were four mothers and three fathers –Tami's, Mimi's, Hotaru's and Ichirou's mother, and Kei's, Yuuki's, and Ichirou's father. He gave them a smile and bowed his head, "Good afternoon."

They're a bit startled at his polite attitude –which made Tami's mother totally rolled her eyes, _"Did they think he's delinquent or something?!" –_and replied him with bows as well. No one started to speak up, so Kei's father started, since it's indeed his idea, "Good afternoon! Eh… is it Shindou-kun?"

"Shishido." Ryou corrected with a smile, "It's Shishido Ryou."

"Ah, right, Shishido-kun, isn't it!" Kei's father tapped on Ryou's shoulder friendly, "Eh, it's really –kun, isn't it? You're look so young…"

"I'm twenty six years old this year, sir." Ryou smiled.

_HE'S INDEED YOUNG! _The parents thought, exchanged unsure looks.

"I'm in the same age as you!" Tami's mother smiled, then she clapped her hands as she remembered something, "Oh, actually I forgot to ask the address of your house!"

Ryou hit his palm with a fist, "Oh, I forgot to mention it earlier too, sorry! It's on block three. It's not that far, though maybe, walking will be a bit tiring…"

Hotaru's mother asked, "Block three, like… near the Premium Residence?"

"It's… in the Premium Residence." Ryou smiled, "Number seven."

_They sure liked to exchanging looks,_ Ryou thought. But this one now was a surprised one, and Ryou was oblivious about the reason. The parents were shocked to their roots –the residence was full with big and luxury houses!

"How… how can you afford such a big house?!" Ichirou's father almost let it out but Kei's father quickly slapped his hand on his friend's mouth, so it came out as muffled yell instead.

"Pardon?" Ryou blinked, smiling politely.

"N-no, nevermind about him." Tami's mother laughed nervously, "Anyway, you just came here after work?"

"Yes." Ryou nodded, "I usually came home late, so I picked up Ryouta and drive him home, then I'll go back to office, but today I got a half day off."

Yuuki's father now decided to join in the conversation, "You're sure busy in such a young age. What's your job?"

"I'm head manager of Product Design Department, sir. In Link Cross Company." Ryou smiled.

Some looks were, once again, exchanged, a disbelief one.

"That Link Cross Company owned by Atobe Incorporation?" Ichirou's father now succeeds on shouting his thought out. _It's a big company, an international one, and to work there means… a lot of payment! And he's head manager of a department, too?!_

"Yes." Ryou rolled his eyes a little bit by the mention of his creepy boss, "I'm working under Atobe Keigo, he's my boss."

_And he worked directly under the only son of that big Atobe Incorporation's family owner?! _Ryou looked at the mixture of shock, awe and amazement looks the parents were giving him, and he explained quickly, "It's a new company build by Atobe Keigo himself just several years ago, actually. Well, it's still a company under his family corporation so there're some connections thingy and such, that's why it can grew big in such little time… but of course, it's because our satisfying services too." Ryou coughed and continued, "Anyway, the company is full of young men around my ages, Atobe asked his fellow friends instead of some old men he knew. It's normal there for someone my age to lead a department."

"Wow…" Ichirou's mother smiled sweetly, "Really awesome. You're handsome, and you have a great job, too…"

"E-Eh, thank you." Ryou smiled back, nervously –something was a bit different about that one smile. He turned his head to answer Hotaru's mother's question so he didn't see Ichirou's father glared furiously on his wife.

"I heard that Ryouta's parents are away, that's why you are taking care of him now?" Hotaru's mother asked, "Where're they?"

"Eh…" Ryou smiled. He pointed his finger to the sky.

Eyes grew wide, some lips gaped and some were putting upset looks.

"Oh, sorry…" Hotaru's mother apologized, bowing her head down.

"W-What happened? If that's okay with you to tell us…" Mimi's mother, surprised by the real fact, asked softly.

Ryou explained quietly, "There's a terrible plane crash. I'm already working, living by self and my brother's the only family I had left since our parent's death, so I took him in. He's just… three at that time." Ryou looked at his nephew who was still playing with the other six kids while their parents talked. He smiled, eyes grew warm and soft. "I always went to my brother's house and played with him too, so he already got used to me, but still, he was crying all the time back then, asking for his mother and father."

"That must be very hard." Tami's mother commented, a small tears on the edge of her eyes.

"It was, a bit." Ryou grinned, "I never had someone else in my life before, let alone _a kid_. But we survived. I will put him on child care and pick him up after I finished my work, then we'll play together until he fell asleep. I explained to him that his mother and father were somewhere far, and he accepted it. Sometimes he questioned more about it, like just several weeks ago… he asked if he travelled all over the world, will he find his mother and father."

"And what did you tell him?" Yuuki's father tugged on his glasses, showing sympathetic look, "You have to lie to him every time, isn't it difficult?"

Ryou scratched on his head, "Eh… it can be said as lie, but not really a lie, too. They're indeed in the far place." Ryou laughed, "It's a bit complicated. I explained to him they're as far as the stars, and he said then he'll just become astronauts instead. I guess you just have to let the time gives him the real fact after all."

"Eh wait," Ichirou's father wrinkled his forehead, "So he thought his parents were away and they'll be back, something like that?"

"Well, no. I think he doesn't know there's death from the first thing at all. We visit their grave together every year, though. He knew that under the stone are his father and mother, he talked to them about many things and all, but, well…" Ryou laughed sadly, "I'm not really sure myself."

"We get what you meant," Mimi's mother smiled, gave Ryou a soft pat on his shoulder, "It's okay. Mimi told me a lot of about him. She said he's good at playing piano. He's a cute boy, indeed."

"Thank you." Ryou gave them a worried smile, "He's a bit mature than children on his ages, I think because I left him a lot with jobs and all. He's more understanding that he should be. Actually, it's more worrying than calming. But he's doing fine, I'm thankful."

"No worries, young man!" Kei's father slapped Ryou's back –hard, laughing, "His naughty side will come up soon! Boys will always be boys!"

Just as Kei's father ended his conversation, a loud cry was heard from the school ground. They looked at the sound and found Ichirou was crying loud with his friends surrounding him, unsure what to do.

"ICHI-KUN!" Ichirou's mother quickly ran to her son, followed by her husband, "WHAT'S WRONG?"

"He fell when he ran to the base." Mimi said.

One teacher walked out from the teacher's room to find out what's going on and then she brought him to the school clinic. The conversation ended like that, but the parents remembered to give Ryou their numbers to keep contact before went home with their children. They would pick some clothes first for the night and promised will arrive at Shishido residence around 6 pm.

Ryou grinned as he scrolled down on his new contact group, named 'Fellow Parents'. Maybe he can ask some parenting tips from them another days. The school ground was empty in no time, and the pair of uncle and nephew decided to sit on the bench put near the front door, waited for Ohtori.

"So… What do you think we should do tonight, Ryouta?" Ryou began with a question, his notebook ready. Sure it's a lot more convenience nowadays with many notes application in the smart phones, but he liked it better to arrange or plan on real papers with real pen.

Ryouta's eyes sparkled and he shouted, "We should roast marshmallows and eat ice cream _with_ hot chocolates!"

"We can't eat ice cream with hot chocolates, Ryouta, it'll melt in no time." Ryou laughed, "We can do it too, but what I meant was dinner. Do you have something you want to eat?"

"Meaaaat!" Ryouta grinned.

"Well…" Ryou laughed, "You have to be more specific. Hmm… though… if it's meat, how about we do barbecue?"

"Oh, just like last year New Year's Eve!" Ryouta's eyes grew wide, "We can play fireworks, too!"

"Last year was a bit off because it's just you and me with Jazz and Rocks, wasn't it? But now we have a lot more people so I bet it'll be more fun." Ryou smiled while scribbling on his small notebook.

Ryouta nodded, smiling brightly, "We will tell ghost stories too with lamps off! Ichirou have so many of them, he said! I can't waittt!"

"Well, just be sure you won't get too afraid you can't sleep, you all still need energy for tomorrow's trip, after all."

Two Shishidos looked up and both grew happy when they saw that it was Ohtori.

"SENSEI!" Ryouta jumped to his favorite teacher, hugging him tightly.

Ohtori picked him up and held the little boy around his arms, smiling, "I'm finished, we can go now if you want to."

"Ah, we're still planning it a bit..." Ryou grinned. Ohtori nodded, "Sure, I'll help too, then." He put Ryouta to sit on his lap so three of them can all look at the notebook on Ryou's hand closely.

"Oh, I heard a cry before, by the way, what happened?" The young teacher asked.

"Ichirou fell down when he ran to the base!" Ryouta explained, "We're playing hide and seek and Kei's playing as _'it'_, and they're compete to run to the base then Ichirou fell."

"Really?" Ohtori widened his eyes, "Is he okay?"

"He got scrap on his knee but then a teacher brought him to the clinic." Ryou answered, "He looked like he's okay already when he went home."

"Ah, that's good. I hope it's not bad wound." Ohtori let out a relief sigh. Then his eyes moved to the notes and he said with a smile, "Barbecue will be so much fun! Good idea."

"Right?" Ryou grinned.

"Yes! Kids can help with arranging the meat and vegetables on sticks, too." Ohtori smiled, "They must be happy. But do you have the grill machine?"

"We have one! It's big, like a giant stove!" Ryouta answered to his teacher's question, hands opened widely to gesture how big the item is.

"Oh, it's the automatic one too? Nice, it'll be a lot easier then. Usually what's taking long time is to start the fire, after all."

"Yep," Ryou nodded, then mumbled, "For the ingredients…"

"Meat!" Ryouta cut in. Ryou and Ohtori laughed on the kid's excitement, and Ryou wrote it down, "Beef, chicken… We still have the sausages, and there's also some hamburger dough left. We can grill them, right?"

"You can." Ohtori nodded, smiling, "It'll taste really good!"

Ryou grinned, "Good! Ah, I'd like some shrimp and cuttlefish, too!"

"Ryou-nii, fish! Salmon and tuna!"

"Sure! And mussels and scallops! Oh, and octopus! Greaaat!" Ryou spiritedly writing the list of ingredients to buy on his notebook, then he looked up the young man who's just smiling amusedly the entire time, "Ah! Ohtori-sensei, is there something you want to eat?"

"Me?" Ohtori blinked, he looked up to think if there's anything he can add to the list, "Mm… I think what you both have wrote down are already enough."

"Sensei doesn't want anything else?" Ryouta's face grew a bit disappointed.

Ohtori smiled, "No, it's not like that. Just, you two already pointed what sensei wants, too." But he thought about it more, and he suggested, "Ah, but we can roast some sweet potatoes for the night snack."

"Ah, that's a good idea!" Ryou cheered, and wrote down.

Ryouta blinked, curious with the words he just heard, "Sweet potatoes? How's that looked like?"

"It shaped a bit like potatoes, but it has red skin and have a bit pointed ends. It's like potato's sister, that's why she's sweeter!" Ohtori smiled, "If you can guess which one it is in the shopping centre later, sensei will give you a gift!"

"Really? Okay then!" Ryouta was now very motivated about finding out about sweet potatoes and asked more, "The taste? And how's it taste like?"

Ryou grinned, explained to his nephew, "Sweet, of course. You can boil or roast it, but they're better roasted. It's really nice to be eaten on chilled night along with warm tea, Ryouta. The sweet feelings just melt on your mouth… Wah, it's really been awhile since I ate some…"

"It heard so yummy…" Ryouta's eyes sparkled on the description. The little boy looked at Ohtori with curious eyes, "Is it really that tasty?"

"It is!" Ohtori nodded, "Ryouta can taste it later, okay?"

"Okay! I will find out and eat it!"

The teacher grew an amused smile, then remembered, "Oh, and for tomorrow's bento too, we're going to make it together, right?"

"RIGHT!" Ryouta and Ryou shouted on the same time –Ohtori laughed again on this –and Ryou asked, "You have something in mind to make?"

"Maybe rice ball? We'll make many different kinds of mixed rice and fillings. It'll be so much fun to shape them together." Ohtori told them with a smile, "Three onigiris per child should be enough, so we should make around thirty. We can fry the leftover croquettes and make some omelet for the side dishes. Shishido-san wants to learn how to make omelet, right?"

"Ah, right! Nice, nice!" Ryou nodded, "That's really nice idea!"

"So we're going to shop now?" The little boy jumped from his teacher's lap, hands fisted and eyes bright, "Let's go, let's go Ryou-nii, Ohtori-sensei!" Ryouta was really excited about going to shopping centre again and finding out more interesting goodies sold there.

"Okay, okay!" Ryou laughed. He lower his head to his nephew's level, poked on Ryouta's nose playfully, "We still need to list the ingredients for the onigiri, though, Ryouta! Be patient for a bit, okay?"

"Uhh, okay then," Ryouta nodded, hands clenched on his shirt, "I'll wait! Don't be too long though…!"

Ohtori laughed, ruffled on Ryouta's hair lovingly. He read on Ryou's list and said, "For the fillings, we can make them from the same ingredients you listed for the barbecue. Salmon and tuna, sausages and chicken cutlet, squid and shrimp. It's more than enough. Oh, but for the mixed rice, maybe asparagus, mushroom, green beans, carrots, corn, sesame…" He chuckled when Ryou quickly scribbled the ingredients he just said in such speed. "It is okay, Shishido-san. We'll see what fresh vegetables available in the shopping centre. Making meals with seasonal vegetables is really nice, too."

Ryou nodded his head, a satisfied grin on his lips, "This is getting so interesting! Okay, let's start!"

Ryouta made a run gesture on his feet, "COME ON, RYOU-NII, SENSEI! We should hurry!"

"Okay, okay, you go to the car first!" Ryou laughed.

Ryouta grinned, ran ahead his teacher and uncle to the car.

"He's so excited about this, isn't he," Ohtori laughed as they walked to the car as well.

"He is, he likes shopping centre so much!" Ryou joined the laugh. Then he asked Ohtori –chest clenched a bit tight caused of nervous as he asked –"Eh, by the way, I wonder if you will stay over too tonight?"

"Oh, I planned to." Ohtori nodded.

Ryou's heart fluttered a bit from the answer. Ohtori, a bit worried about the silence the other man was giving him, asked back, "Is it… okay?"

"Of course!" Ryou said quickly –he's too happy for words that he _forgot_ to say anything after Ohtori's answer, "I'm glad I won't have to handle them alone."

Ohtori smiled, "Well, we promised to do a cooking lesson, too, right? And I promised them I'll make the bento together with them, too."

"Yeah," Ryou grinned, cheeks warm, "Okay then."

Little hands waved cheerfully, Ryouta yelled from beside the car, "Sensei, Ryou-nii! Hurry!"

"Okay, okay!" Ryou laughed. They walked faster to the car, and Ryou asked, "Ryouta, do you want to sit on front, or back with Ohtori-sensei?"

"I'll sit on back! Ohtori-sensei should sit on front with Ryou-nii!" Ryouta grinned.

That was a little surprising. Ohtori and Ryou looked at each other, and Ryou asked, "You sure?"

"Um!" Ryouta opened the door –tiptoed to reach the handle because of his short legs –and quickly climbed up to the car. He's sitting with a big grin, "Here's fine!"

"Well, if you say so." Ryou scratched his head, "Then…"

"I guess I'm front, then?" Ohtori smiled.

"Um." Ryou laughed, "Is it okay, right?"

"Of course!"

So in the end, the both adults sat on the front. Ryou wondered if this morning and _this _had some relations. The oblivious Ryouta was now singing some random song, kicking his legs to the air playfully. Then the trip fell in deep silence, Ryou that was too confused about what to converse with Ohtori and Ohtori that originally never talk much at all. Ryouta was surprisingly silent too. Ryou tried, asked about "How's the botany park, Ryouta?" which the boy just simply answered, "It's big and nice! We can pick as many fruits as we can!"

And that's it. The silent was too awkward, but talking with Ryouta didn't cut it out.

"Should we… take you to your house first, before we go to shop?" Ryou finally decided to ask Ohtori, "It's close to the shopping centre, right?"

"Oh, if that's easier, I don't mind." But then Ohtori suggested, "Oh! But Ryoutarou-kun was so excited about shopping… shouldn't we go to shopping centre first?"

"Ah, you're right!" Ryou grinned, "Will be a lot of trouble if we can't please the little prince."

Ohtori chuckled, then asked, "Your job, is it okay to take a sudden day off like this?"

"It's okay, it's okay!" Ryou laughed easily, "I'm indeed head of department, but it's not really that big company. We take our day off here and there. Oshitari took a lot of day off just to go dating."

"Oshitari?"

"Friend at work. He's also head of department, Marketing. We're simply just people Atobe were hanging out with on university days, and, quoting what he said when he recruited me, 'see big potential upon'." The brunette caught Ohtori's confused look and laughed, "And well, yeah, you didn't hear that wrong, _that_ Atobe Keigo is my boss. On the contrary of what people usually think of him, like maybe he's luxury and very much a prince or anything like that, he is a bit jerk. Not a really bad guy though, but I guess being rich start from the day you born effect your personality a little."

"Oh…" Ohtori hummed, "Is it he really that rich?"

The dark blue eyes widened in surprise, "You haven't heard of Atobe Incorporation before?"

"Eh… maybe… I have heard of it but I didn't really… remember. I didn't watch news a lot." Ohtori scratched on his cheek, "He's really that famous?"

The older adult just continued gaped disbelievingly on Ohtori. Now this is new –everyone knew Atobe Incorporation. It was Atobe's family corporation (explained the name), contained groups of companies that made or served almost everything that human needs, from the simplest insurance, transportation, food, shopping places and malls, buildings, travels, you can just mention one thing randomly and they may had it covered too. Ryou was getting used on people getting surprised about the fact that he's friend to that Atobe Keigo and working under him directly, but looked like now was _his_ turn to be surprised that there's one person who didn't know about Atobe at all.

And it just had to be Ohtori. Man! Ryou just wanted to laugh. And he did. A very amused and loud one, "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Eh… what?" Ohtori was a bit embarrassed about Ryou's sudden laugh.

"No, no. Just… God," The laugh calmed down, but he couldn't stifle little chuckles and putting a big grin his lips, "Oh my, you're just _perfect_, you know? I just can't imagine Atobe's… how would he say it? Mm, wounded. Wounded expression if he knows someone in this country didn't even know about his family corporation."

Ohtori was a bit confused if he had to be happy or not, but he let out a apologetic smile, "I guess… sorry?"

"No, no, don't say sorry. It's cool." Ryou laughed again, "Oh, man… I might really just take you as my lover to piss him off."

"Pardon?" Ohtori blinked.

Ryou gulped in instant, cheeks blushed furiously. He looked at Ohtori, said in panic, "NO, I MEAN. HE WAS TALKING THAT HE'S… EH…" But Ohtori really didn't hear anything, and he's still putting a clueless look rather than an embarrassed or awkward one. Ryou realized about it and sighed in relief, smiled nervously to Ohtori, "Hahaha, no, I was just mumbling to myself –"

But that time Ohtori was, in the other hand, looking at the front, and shouted a very out of character loud yell, "S-SHISHIDO-SAN! AHEAD!"

The red light was on and luckily, Ryou just made it in time to step –very strongly, deeply and full-heartedly –on the break pedal, just a very little tiny bitty inch before their car will hit deep to the rear of mini car in front of them. Three of them let out a big relieved breath, and Ryouta quickly leaped to the back of his uncle's seat, pulling on his uncle's cheek, _hard_, "RYOU-NII! That's so dangerous! You said it will never happen again!"

"S-SOWWY…" Ryou muffled cry was mixed with relieved laugh, "Sorry, sorry…"

"I'm glad we're okay." Ohtori was a bit pale, but then the color of his face back again as he laughed on how the pair of nephew and uncle beside him was acting.

"Let go, Ryouta, it's really hurttssss a loottt!" The older brunette begged, voice croaked by pain.

"No, Ryouta is going to pull this till it's taken off!" Ryouta pouted, pulling even harder on Ryou's cheek.

"It hurts, it hurtsss! I'm sorry Ryoutarou, really!" Ryou was even crying a little now –it's really hurts! "The green light is almost on, is almossstt on! See?"

Ryouta let out the pinch, but still putting an angry look. Ohtori petted him, laughing a little, "Let's punish him by not giving Ryou-nii any meat later, ne, Ryouta-kun!"

"THAT'S IT! Ryou-nii won't get any meat!" Ryouta decided, nodded with little arms folded on his chest.

"NOOO! I'M SO SORRYY!" The oldest in the car pledged, successfully hiding his laugh and make a pitiful look and cries, "I really want to eat meattt, Ryoutarou-sama, please let me!"

Ohtori laughed more, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Oh, oh! I have something to make you forgive me, Ryouta!" Ryou's eyes twinkled.

The little boy asked with a stern voice, "What is it? It better be very good!"

"Of course it's good!" Ryou threw a glance to Ohtori and grinned, which Ohtori just responded by a couple of clueless eye blinks, because he didn't get it too. The silver head looked to the back seat curiously as Ryouta followed Ryou's instruction of, "Under the back seat, there's a bag of new books, right? Open it! I bought some new books for you!"

The pair of brown eyes narrowed as they noticed the seven books Ryouta pulled from out the paper bag –He recognized those big, wide covers and the colors… _Oh!_ Ohtori let out a little laugh, as Ryouta opened his brand new story books and cheered, "NEW BOOKS! Seven of them! And so pretty!"

Ryou grinned, he could see from the corner of his eyes that Ohtori was smiling, "You like it, Ryouta?"

"YES!" Ryouta said happily. The young Shishido opened the pages by pages carefully, couldn't stop smiling as his hungry eyes explore more colors, more drawings and illustrations and words beautifully arranged to a narration. He hugged one then moved to open the other, and then hugged seven of them all at once, "Thank you, Ryou-nii!"

His uncle took a peek from the front rear mirror to look at his nephew, who's smiling wide and happy on the back seat with his seven new books covering him like warm, sunny blanket, and grinned, "I can eat the meat?"

"You can!" Ryouta answered, "As many as you can!"

Blue eyes moved to the left to look at the brown chocolatey ones, and whispered, "Thanks,"

"Thanks to you too." Ohtori smiled even warmer –and sweeter.

And Ryou couldn't help but though that, _I can life like this forever_. Now he realized he's getting relaxed again, most relaxed than he ever did. The radio was on and conversation flowed like a summer breeze –easy, soft, relaxing–mostly about foods, travelling places, and blooming sakura. Unserious conversation that sometimes were cut off by Ryouta's happy and innocent thoughts, and by their own laughs.

Then finally, the car arrived in the shopping centre. The street was a bit empty, fathers hadn't got off from their works, but children already came home from playing outside, helping with the dinner preparation or doing some home works. But the shopkeepers were all loyally waiting for any customers who maybe wanted to buy a late dinner ingredients or strolling for some evening snacks.

Ryou parked his car, and almost as immediately as the machine off, Ryouta jumped out from the car. The little boy quickly offered his hand to his teacher who just got off from the front seat as well. Ohtori smiled, and held on the smaller fingers softly. The other Shishido walked to them after locking the car, and Ryouta grabbed on Ryou's hand with his other free hand.

Twin round and in-the-exact-dark-blue-colors-as-his-uncle orbs twinkled to other two adults, "Mimi-chan and Kei-chan and everyone always do this with their mom and dad, and I always want to do it, too. Can I?"

They can't really say no. Though, Ryou mumbled, "T-This is a bit embarrassing."

"Well." Ohtori chuckled, "Well, yeah."

But none of them let go.

**XXXX**

**Fluff, fluff, fluff, that's this entire story about, I know. I hope you don't mind with this fluffy fuwa fuwa story like this though. Reviews will always be welcomed!**


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